Bath and Body

DIY: Herbal Bath Salts

valeriesilverthorne — Wed, 16 May 2012 21:54:14 +0000

Ok, she had me with the vanilla bean…just sayin’. Stephanie from Henry Happened has a fast and easy tutorial for herbal bath salts. These would be wonderful — and appreciated — end of the year teacher gifts! But be sure to make some for yourself too, especially using vanilla bean, wow. Get the tutorial.

Inspiration: Sea Breeze M&P Soap

valeriesilverthorne — Tue, 15 May 2012 20:51:57 +0000

I love it when I can find a truly lovely melt & pour soap, and here’s one from Coolah Creations. Who knew a goat’s milk m&p base could be so pretty? Get all the details here.…

DIY: Hand and Body Lotion

valeriesilverthorne — Mon, 14 May 2012 23:12:45 +0000

Lori from Always Learning shares a recipe for a hand/body lotion that’s so luscious her friends and family are clamouring for more! Get the tutorial and try it yourself.…

DIY: Natural Bug Spray!

valeriesilverthorne — Sun, 13 May 2012 22:22:48 +0000

Just in time for the warm weather, Jillee at One Good Thing has a tutorial for making your own mosquito (or other bug) repellant. It uses just a handful of ingredients and she says it works like a charm. This is not going to work on ticks (sorry!) but it’s far better smelling and healthier than commercial bug spray. Get the tutorial.

Freebie: Body Scrub & Wash Printable Labels

valeriesilverthorne — Sun, 13 May 2012 22:05:37 +0000

Cause packaging can make the gift, Bethany at Finding Pins and Needles shares her cute and practical labels for homemade body stubs and washes. They fit perfectly on Ball Canning jars and if you laminate them, they’re waterproof too. Get the download here. And don’t miss her links to tried and true scrub and wash recipes (and her helpful tips).

Tutorial: M&P Using Transfer Sheets

valeriesilverthorne — Wed, 09 May 2012 21:46:53 +0000

“The Soapy Fanatic” at Riverlea Soap has a super cute melt and pour tutorial using chocolate transfer sheets. This would be a fun Mother’s Day project, or something fun to do with the kids *on* Mother’s Day. So if you’ve been wondering what it’s like to work with transfer sheets, read all about it.

Looking for a Soaping Challenge?

valeriesilverthorne — Wed, 09 May 2012 21:35:04 +0000

Amy Warden at Great Cakes Soap Works is running weekly soaping challenges. This week the challenge is to make a salt bar, something she describes as “its very own category of soap.” She offers up 3 sample recipes, a video tutorial, and links to other online tutorials. Read about all the fun here, and don’t forget to look at her previous weeks’ challenges.

DIY: 5 Gifts to Help Mom Relax

valeriesilverthorne — Tue, 08 May 2012 22:02:20 +0000

Since my mother has sadly passed away, what do you think the chances are my teenage daughter will make these for me? Hmmm, well, I can make them for myself, anyway. The lovely Mountain Rose Blog has given us five delightful recipes — room spray, tea, bon-bons, bath salts and my personal fave, “Mom’s Last Nerve Tonic.” Ahem. Definitely might have to make that one immediately! The tutorials are here.

DIY: Bergamot and Coconut Skin Salve

valeriesilverthorne — Mon, 07 May 2012 21:57:13 +0000

This rich and luxurious salve is perfect for dry, irritated skin, or even skin with cuts and abrasions. But it would also make a lovely “post-gardening” salve for any mom on your list, and thanks to the combination of oils and scents, I’m thinking it smells pretty amazing. Follow the Rumkihn Crafts tutorial here.

DIY: Exfoliating Soap Pouches

valeriesilverthorne — Mon, 07 May 2012 21:47:29 +0000

Just in time for Mother’s Day, Jillee from One Good Thing shares a tutorial on how she made her own scrubby soap pouches. These are so easy they’d be great for even young kids to make for mom or grand mom, as long as there is help with the sewing. Get the step-by-step directions and get busy!

DIY: Natural Sunscreen

valeriesilverthorne — Sat, 05 May 2012 13:48:38 +0000

If you’re worried about the chemicals in your sunscreen, but naturally still want sun protection, here’s a recipe from Frugally Sustainable using ingredients I’d think most of us already have on hand. Get all the details (and a great discussion of what is, and isn’t, in commercially made sunscreens) here.

DIY: 5 Steps to a No-Polish Manicure

valeriesilverthorne — Wed, 02 May 2012 22:58:21 +0000

Like many of us, Stephanie at Henry Happened realised her commercial manicures just didn’t last. So she came up with a clever – and easy – way to give yourself a manicure with no polish (so no chipping). Her secret: the nail buffing block. Get all the details here.

DIY: Big Hair, Small Budget

valeriesilverthorne — Wed, 02 May 2012 22:52:31 +0000

We all want what Aretha has, and while we probably can’t have it, we can get big hair. Really, really big hair. Elizabeth at Beauty Bets has everything you need to give your hair its own zip code, and do it frugally. Get her step by step advice.

DIY: Coconut Oil Scalp Treatment

valeriesilverthorne — Tue, 01 May 2012 21:29:19 +0000

I don’t even think about my scalp, let alone treat it, but the mums at The Mother Huddle make a very good point that healthy hair starts with a good scalp. And they thoughtfully provided an easy — and informative — tutorial to help you help your scalp. Get it all here.

DIY: Homemade Cold Cream

valeriesilverthorne — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 22:45:04 +0000

Am I the only one with a fond memory of Pond’s Cold Cream? I just remember slathering it on after a sunburn, not necessarily the approved use, but still, the memory of the coolness lingers with me today. So when Jillee of One Good Thing posted her homemade cold cream recipe I was hooked. And you will be too…get the details here.