Super easy last minute gift (freebies)

Are you looking for a really Really REALLY easy gift?  

Of course you are!

Do you have access to sugar and soap?

And a clear container (glass or plastic)?

Then you too can make

semi-homemade Soap Scrub!

Here's what I used:

1. extra fine sugar

2. peppermint soap (the moisturizing kind) from Bath & Body Works

3. 4oz glass jars

  *I chose these jars because the opening was the perfect size & they weren't too big.  

I would also suggest a clear container so your 'giftee' can see all your mixing :)

I filled my jar ~2/3rds full with sugar.  

Then I started pouring in the soap (no exact amount).

  

Use a knife to mix it together..trust me, it makes it easier.  

I ended up with the consistency of thick molasses.  

You can adjust the soap to sugar ratio to your liking.  

Put on the lid & your gift is done.

Add a cute tag.  

I found mine at The Celebration Shoppe 

(it's free from Kim's Facebook page..so go LIKE if you haven't already!) 

I used a 2 1/2" punch and added my own little tag to the top.

Here's the link to my tags if you'd like to use them.

I hope you all have a great Monday! 

good clean fun

The lizard and ladybug just found Noodle and Doodle 

(on the Sprout channel).  

We don't actually get the channel from our local cable provider. 

We only get a few of the episodes 'on demand'...but the kids love it.  

Each show there is a craft.  

Their favorite craft has been the 'super duper bubble blower'.  

So that's what I made this past weekend.  

Here's what you'll need.  

Straws

Tape

Bowl (for bubble solution)

*Bubble Solution*

1/2 cup dish soap
4 cups water
2 tablespoons glycerine

Gather your straws and tape them together.  

Mix your bubble solution.  

You can figure out the rest :)

The original craft idea was to add paint to the bubble solution. 

Then blow the bubbles onto paper...making bubble art.  

It's a great idea (and we'll probably do that) but they just wanted bubbles.

I was able to find the liquid glycerine at Wal-Mart by the pharmacy.  

It was ~$3 for a 4oz bottle.  

Great deal considering you use so little of it and it makes great bubbles.

Yesterday, I bought all of my kid friendly bubble 'swords' 

for the Pirates & Polka Dots party. 

I plan on having a 'bubble refill' station 

(thanks to Kim at Party Frosting for directing me to this idea from Come Together Kids)

 

All that glycerine will come in handy!!

Happy New Year

I hope everyone had a great weekend!

I wanted to share some of our New Year's Eve (during the day) party.  

I chose the theme 'black, white and daylight'.  

Pretty simple.  

Here are some of the highlights.

The table before the 'real' food.  

I had a branch (already painted from Halloween) that I added black and white poms to (thanks to Kristy - The Purple Pug for that idea).  I used a cake stand to hold the paper fortune cookies we made (got that idea from Home Confetti).

Oreos baked inside brownies = Black and White brownies

My 'countdown' cupcakes.  I used black card stock and metallic pen.  

Dipped a marshmallow in clear sprinkles (for the sparkly effect) 

and added it all to a lollipop stick.  

The cupcakes are Funfetti (of course)!

Champagne 'bubbles' (donut holes) - thanks to Kim - Party Frosting!

I used my New Year's printable (attached to card stock & a dowel) as centerpieces.  

They are standing in jars of black eyed peas:)

A can of Rotel and black eyed peas became our 'lucky' salsa.

The pasta was festive because I used bowties and curly noodles.  haha

A little bubbly.  I punched 2" circles of silver card stock then used a 1" punch.  

The glasses cheapo plastic came apart so I could add the 'bling'.

 I can't have people leave without something.  

Some reNEWing hand scrub for the girls, chocolate bars for the guys 

and some snazzy sunglasses (since we were whooping it up during the day)

The kids LOVED counting down and yelling 'HAPPY NEW YEAR'.  

They loved it even more when the saw their bubbly :) 

Kiddie Cocktails (cherry Caprisuns with a few cherries)

Everyone had a fun time.  The weather was great..the company was great & it was early enough for everyone to get the heck out so I could get to bed early :)

Cheers to a fabulous 2011!!

linking here:



 

A Re'NEW'ing kind of gift

ok..corny title but just go with it.

I saw this great tutorial on greenbean crafterole a while back.  

fyi - Carrie's blog it so full of great ideas, it's ridiculous!  

Anyhoo.  I put her 'garden scrub' on my list of projects.  

Cut to -- me picking up diapers and milk at Wal Mart yesterday (jealous?) 

I saw Dawn Hand Renewal dish soap on sale (2/$4.something).  

I grabbed it and came up with my clever 'reNEWing' hand scrub favor idea :)  

I had several jars left over from the pumpkin scrub I made for Thanksgiving.  

I knew I had enough sugar, so these would be very inexpensive take-aways.

Here's how it went

dump in the sugar (almost to the top)...add soap

Mix it together.  *use a knife to mix (makes it so much easier)  

You may need to add more sugar/soap to get the consistency you want.

I ended up with a pale pink color

(which makes me think this would be perfect for Valentine's teacher gifts)

Plus it has a great, light scent.

Of course, now I need something extra.  I found a great clock face image from 

The Graphics Fairy.  I resized it and added my cutesy name.  

Tied it to the jar with a simple black ribbon.

If you'd like your own tag, here it is with the cutesy name.  

Here is it without the name.  

{it's cut with a 3" circle punch}

Enjoy!

linking up:

unfinished projects

One thing I did complete (because it took less than 5 mins) 

was a 'Keep Calm and Wash On' soap label.

I did the same process as I did for my 'Halloween-y' soap. 

We're hosting Thanksgiving so we needed something cute!

Here are a few things I'm hoping to finish this weekend.

 Our 'thanks' tree.  I found some branches and leaves in our yard.  

Spray painted the branches.  
Had the kids tell me some things they are thankful for 

- yes, that says 'underwear'.  

I used a hole punch on the leaves and threaded strips of tulle 

(left over from this wreath). 

I'm working on a korker bow for the ladybug.  I found the instructions online (don't judge) and it was super easy.  Still need to cut it and attach it to a clip.

Have a great Friday!  Don't forget to 'like' me on Facebook.  

I've been sharing lots of goodies there!!

'Halloween-y' soap

Ok..so remember the post "squ'eek'y clean"?  I was really happy with how cute it turned out - UNTIL I saw Gluesticks post on personalized soap/sanitizer bottles.  Brandy was inspired by a post from The Idea Room.  

It's basically a clear bottle (for soap or sanitizer) and transparency film.

I actually used clear window decals (from Staples).  

The fun part is deciding what wording/font to use.  The Idea Room has a template you can download.  I thought it would be fun to create a Halloween-y one :)

Here's a close up of what I came up with (created it all on Microsoft Word).

I trimmed it to fit my bottle.  I'm not a big fan of measuring...so I kinda just eyeballed it.  I ended up cutting 'happy halloween' off the top :)  Since I used a window cling, I just stuck it to the outside of the bottle.  My inspiration posts actually slipped the transparency paper inside the bottle.  I was afraid the ink would run (and/or I wouldn't be able to get it straight) so I just kept it on the outside.

Pair with the 'eek' and they make quite the scary duo.

ignore the tiny bubbles...they make me happy :)

I have plans to make a few of these as gifts.  

You can find soap, sanitizer and lotions all in the same size bottles...I thought it would be fun to do a soap/sanitizer set or soap/lotion set  - you get the idea.  

Since you can personalize this...the possibilities really are endless.







 

Sawdust and Paper Scraps