DIY Coffee Scrub

Looking for something to help smooth out rough skin and wake you up in the morning?  The answer is in your kitchen!  Coffee scrub is easy to make, smells great, and is an awesome way to pamper your skin in the shower.

Here's what you need:

• 1 cup of coffee grounds
• 1/2 cup salt
• 1/2 cup sweet almond oil
• Honey
• Clean jar or container for you finished project
  

1. Mix coffee grounds with salt.  
2. Add oil and a swirl of honey.  
3. Stir until combined.  Mixture will resemble an Oreo crumb crust.
4. Spoon mixture into your container and add lid. (I used a 1 pint mason jar, which actually requires more than a single recipe.)
5. Enjoy!

This scrub works great after gardening.  I prefer to use it in the shower, because it is a little messy, but that's just me.  To use, just take a little of the scrub in your hand, add water and smooth over needed area.  I've seen coffee scrubs marketed as cellulite reducing scrubs, due to the caffeine in the coffee, but can't really vouch for that.  I like to use it on elbows, knees, and feet.  It's going to make your shower smell like you're bathing in a giant latte, which I think is a great way to wake up in the morning.

Tips

• I look for cheap coffee.  The Starbucks I used was marked down to $2 a bag because it was outdated.  (I've also heard you can use already used coffee grounds, but have not tried that myself.)
• You can use salt, brown sugar, or white sugar.  I usually just use whatever I have handy.  
• Don't have sweet almond oil?  Any carrier oil will work- jojoba, avocado, etc.  You could even use olive oil if need be.

A Few Favorites 10.20

It's been a crazy week.  I'm working a lot of days in a row (again!) and extra hours due to some bug going around at work making coworkers sick left and right.  So, I got a little lazy with my favorite things this week.  All the links are affiliate links, but they really are things I love.  And, as an added bonus, they'd make great Christmas presents.  (It's not too early to start thinking about Christmas- there was frozen rain on the roads the other night, here in Wisconsin.)

1. This patchwork bag features some flowers and a cute owl.  I love colors and embroidery combo.  It's only $16.99, which is great because I'm super cheap about purses.  I always figure I can make myself one so it's crazy to sock a lot of money into one that I'll probably be tired of in a year.  From Zulily

2.  Check out this bag of awesomeness!  It's a 50 piece, DIY hair accessory kit.  I saw it and immediately thought of all the cool things I could do with it for bag making.  You could sew the flowers on.  Or make napkin ring holders.  Or cool looks for your pets.  Or I suppose even some hair accessories.  :)  It's $17.95.  From Jane

3. I have cold feet most of the time.  Even in the summer.  So these, pink, fur lined slippers are looking fabulous.  I love the cute ribbon mixed with the funky grey and pink body of the slipper.  And the fur looks like it'd feel heavenly.  They're $16.99.  From Zulily

4.  I love Ecotools makeup brushes.  They're nicely made and last a long time if you take the time to take care of them.  I got a set a little bigger than this a few years ago for Christmas and never looked back.  Get these and you'll wonder why eye shadows and blushes even come with those dorky little brushes.  The set shown is $9.99.  From Jane


So there's my weekly loves.  I hope you all have a great Sunday.  I'll probably be at work most of the day.  But such is life, right?

Friday Finish- Infinity Scarf for Fall

It's been a busy week.  I haven't spent nearly as much time crafting as I wanted to.  I woke up today to a drizzly, cold, rainy day.  So I decided that it'd be the perfect day to stay inside and craft something before I had to go to work.  I pulled up my Crafty Little Things board on Pinterest.  Sifting through for a nice easy project.  I found a pin from over a year ago for a quick and easy spring infinity scarf.  Since it's meant for spring, they recommend using a voile, but I thought I could use a woven just as easily.

The tutorial is from The Cottage Mama and you can find it here.  The instructions are very clear and easy to follow.  I dug in my stash and found this houndstooth fabric that I have had forever. It's a heavier weight and a woven, but it has some stretch.  I think I must have gotten it at a thrift store or garage sale or something.

Of course HB had to check out my fabric after I had cut it into two pieces of 12 inches wide by 60 inches long.  Luckily, he approved.

Then came the sewing.  This is a great project for a new sewer because there is very little sewing to be done.  .  I didn't even bother to pin my pieces together.  I just fed them right on through.  Follow The Cottage Mama's tutorial and you'll see how easy it is.  Best of all, there's only a little hand sewing required at the end to finish up your scarf.

In about half an hour from start to finish, I had my scarf.  It goes great with my poor eggplant colored coat with the too long lining.  (This is the one I talked about in my Favorite Colors Swap post). 

And here's a close up of the fabric.  I think it will be great for fall and probably even winter.  It's warm, but not too tight, doesn't itch, and it's a classic pattern.

So, if you need a project to get your creative mojo going, this could be the one.  I kind of want to make a bunch more of these in all different fabrics and prints.

DIY: Vanilla Extract

I've had the last five days off from work and it has been great.  I haven't gone very far from home, but I have gotten together with friends and managed to get some of those to dos for the house crossed off- like shampooing the carpets and washing down the whole inside of the refrigerator.  (You'd be surprised what can hide out in the crisper drawers.)  Anyhow, I was rearranging my cupboards and noticed I was running low on vanilla  extract.  Vanilla extract is super easy to make.  All you need is vanilla beans, a cutting board, and knife, and a bottle of vodka.

Vanilla beans from the grocery store are pretty pricey, so I buy mine online.  The last batch I bought were Tahitian vanilla beans that came from Tiny Homestead on Etsy, but I see her shop is currently on vacation.  There are other sellers though.  So check out their feedback and pick one you trust.  My beans arrived fast and well packed and with storage and usage instructions.  The key is to keep them securely wrapped up to keep them dry and away from moisture.

So, you just gather your supplies.  First step is to slice open you vanilla bean long ways.  You should see a ton of black vanilla bean seeds.  This is what flavors your base.  Then chop up your bean into smaller pieces.

 

Throw your beans in a jar or a measuring cup and add vodka.  I usually use a ratio of one bean per cup of vodka.

Give it a stir and pour into your storage container.  I've found that a pint canning jar works well.  I label it with a piece of washi tape so I know when I made it.  Then you just store it in the back of your cupboard for a few months.  The longer it sits, the stronger the vanilla flavor will be.  Also, give it a shake every so often.

I usually like to let it sit six months, just because that's how long it takes me to use up the previous match.  When my little bottle in my baking cupboard is low, I refill it and am good to go.  After sitting for that long, the extract usually has a caramel color to.  You should be able to start using it within two months.  It just gets a stronger taste the long it ages. 

You can also use rum instead of vodka.  I haven't tried that, but I hear it's good.

Basic Sugar Scrub Recipe

I like to dig in my flowerbeds without gloves.  I know some people love gardening gloves, but it just feels weird to me.  So I dig around and get dirt all under my nails and calluses and basically wreck my hands most of the summer.  I don't mind calluses, but I can't stand dirt under my nails.  So, what's a girl to do?  Well, come in and wash up with a soap and a sugar scrub and your hands will be as good as new.

Pinterest is full of sugar scrub recipes and all kinds of variations, but a plain sugar scrub is easy to make and cheap.  Here's how:

Gather your supplies.  You're going to need sugar, epsom salts, oil (I use sweet almond, but extra virgin olive oil will work if you don't want to invest in a body oil, or jojoba if you're into fancy body oils), and some essential or fragrance oils, even vanilla extract if you're in a jam,  and a container to put your finished product in.

Then you throw 1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 cup epsom salt, 3 tablespoons oil, and your fragrance into a bowl.

Stir until everything is combined.

It will seem kind of dry, but it'll be fine, trust me.  Then, dump it all into your container.  I have some cute little latch jars, but jelly jars would work well too.  Or, scour thrift stores for unique containers.  Once you get your scrub into your jar, you can decorate it with ribbon, fabric, or just a label.

To use, just wet your hands, and pour a tablespoon or two of scrub into your palms.  Scrub until you feel the sugar and salt start to dissolve, paying close attention to your nails.  Then rinse clean, and enjoy you're silky smooth hands.  You can also use this in the bath or shower for dry knees and elbows, cracked heels, or anything else that needs so exfoliating.