Sugar Scrub DIY

My hands get terribly dry in the winter. Painfully dry. It's mostly the weather, but working in an office with lots of paper all day doesn't help. I hate it! I'm a lotion snob and can't stand anything the slightest bit greasy. I also can't stand to have any on my palms, so after I rub all the lotion in, I have to rinse off just my palms so they don't feel wet and slimy. I'm a little OCD, I know, but what're ya gonna do?

A couple years ago, as part of my plan to make some Christmas gifts, I came across a few different recipes for a sugar scrub. Based on those, I came up with my own recipe: olive oil, turbinado sugar, regular sugar and lavender essential oil. I love giving it away as gifts, but I'm always sure to keep a jar in the bathroom for myself. I love it! It makes my hands so smooth and soft.

It's hard to measure this recipe, but it's super easy to make.  Find a jar that you want to reuse.  Wider mouths work better, but as long as you can get your fingers into the jar to scoop some scrub out, you're all set.  Fill the jar about 3/4 full with turbinado sugar.  Add a couple teaspoons of regular white sugar.  (Or skip this step.  I only add it because it makes the whole thing a little sparkly and I like that.)  Dump the sugar back out into a bowl and start adding olive oil a few drops at a time.  Thoroughly mix the oil into the sugar until you get a wet, but not soaked, consistency.  Add a few drops of your choice of essential oil and stir again.  Scoop the scrub back into the jar and you're all set for smooth, soft hands!

Wordless Wednesday

New Year Planning

Goals, resolutions, planning...at some point early each year, most people give some consideration to these things.  With the new year comes inspiration and hope.  And, if you're lucky, you got some Christmas presents that spur you on to organize, de-clutter and make those changes you think about all the time.

It doesn't matter what you call it- setting goals, making resolutions- it's a plan to better yourself.  The key to that is accountability and consistency.  I'm working on those myself this year. 

I want to be healthier.  That's a multifaceted task that people get frustrated with and give up on quickly every year.  I'm trying to take it slow, in small steps in order to realize this goal.  I'm spending more time planning meals and snacks, menu planning for the week and finding recipes full of fruits and veggies.  The consistency of those weekly tasks is working itself into a habit.  Exercise will follow.  It gets worked in where it can right now.  I'm still trying to figure out the way to work it in regularly with a full time job, side projects and a growth-spurting toddler who just moved into her new bed.  I know it will fall into place soon and when it does, I will have a good foundation of healthier eating in place.

I want to use my master's degree.  That's another multifaceted, nebulous project.  I'm brainstorming right now and starting some networking activities and research.  As much as I always thought I'd be a children's librarian, I don't think a traditional librarian career is how it's going to shake out for me in the end.  And I'm okay with that (finally).  I'm exploring what a non-traditional role might look like and how I will define it for myself.  Whether this research turns into a career is entirely up to me.  I'm making myself work on it every day, at least a little bit, so that the business of trying to create a business becomes a habit and constant part of my life.  The continual learning, reading and dreaming is what's going to grow my big ideas.  I have to hold myself accountable for making it happen.

This blog is going to be a way for me to keep track of ideas, follow my growth, share business.  I've had many blogs before.  Each, including this one, was updated with varying regularity.  All eventually tapered off to nothing.  Though I enjoy blogging, real life has gotten in the way quite often.  Or I've lost inspiration.  I want this blog to help me with my planning for my goals and ideas.  This will be my record of success for the new year.  So, welcome back to my Random Bits.

Coffee Filter Wreath

I started a coffee filter wreath about six months ago and just finished it in the last week.  It's really a pretty simple project and it turned out pretty well.

I have finished pictures, but not pictures of the process.  I'll put the materials and basic directions below, but you can find this project all over the internet with pictures of the process and different or more detailed directions.

Materials
*foam wreath form- size and shape are up to you
*coffee filters- white or brown, your choice
*hot glue gun
*ribbon for hanging the wreath if you choose
*bow, decorative details- whatever you might like to add to your wreath to finish it
*pins or little floral stakes to affix the decorative elements to the wreath

Directions
Essentially, you just "crunch" the filter up, sort of folding it in on itself and then hot glue the bottom of the filter to the wreath form.  And repeat about 100-150 times.  If you plan on hanging this with ribbon, tie the ribbon around the wreath form before you begin gluing the filters.

I discovered that one row of filters around the wreath form isn't enough to cover the entire form.  That's what I did to begin with and you could still see the green wreath form from the middle and sides when it was hanging on the door.  So, be sure to do a couple rows on the wreath form so that the wreath is full.

After you've filled in your wreath form, add whatever decorative elements you'd like to the wreath.  I used fabric flowers I found with the scrapbooking supplies at Michael's.  Depending on what you choose, you may need some pins or little stakes to stick them on the wreath.

That's it.  It's a fairly fast and easy project.  The hardest part is not burning yourself with the hot glue gun.  At least it was for me.

Mr & Mrs

Zach and Monica got married on Saturday!

We flew out last Wednesday evening, hoping that evening flights would mean a sleeping Ophelia.  Ha.  She was absolutely amazing, though, reading books, looking out the window and playing with us for the longest leg of the trip to Ohio.  Then we were delayed in Chicago for hours and didn't get to mom's until 4:15 Thursday morning.  And Ophelia didn't feel like sleeping for more than a couple hours.  Not a good start to vacation.

The wedding activities went well, though we were exhausted.  We were busy running around Cleveland, but the rehearsal was good and the wedding itself was beautiful.  Zach and Monica planned a very nice ceremony and very fun, festive reception.  Everyone had a fantastic time.  And Ophelia was the life of the party.  She was the only kiddo there so she had the run of the reception- literally.  We got tired of chasing her and just let her run around since everyone knew who she belonged to.  She was amazing and spent the evening making friends with all the adults.  Not once did she flip out or worry about anything.  She ran around, danced, ate cake and talked to everyone. 

Once we got back to mom's house we got a little more sleep.  And then on Monday afternoon Ophelia was playing with uncle Rob... we ended up in the emergency room for 3 hours.  Six x-rays later, Phee's diagnosis was nursemaid's elbow and a sprained shoulder.  The kid was a trooper through the whole thing.  She got a teeny tiny little arm sling to wear and if possible, it made her 47 times cuter than normal.  See.

The moral of the story- don't lift a kid up by their arms/wrists/hands.  It doesn't always work out.

Tuesday morning she woke up ouchy and complaining about her arm.  After a nap, she apparently forgot that it hurt because she spent the rest of the day playing as usual, carrying big toys around, climbing, holding herself up and generally being a silly kid.  I guess the sprain wasn't as bad as she made out on Monday.  Works for me.  Though the sling really was adorable.

(Also, we didn't take a single photo the entire weekend.  We're at the mercy of family members who did.  All I have is this cell phone pic Doug took.  I'll post wedding pics whenever I get some.)

Brought to you by the letter...

This is Ophelia's new favorite thing.  We watched it 47 times yesterday.  And again this morning.  

As soon as the song finishes, she's signing and saying "more, more, more."  It's adorable.  Luckily, it's a cute song so I don't really mind having it stuck in my head all day.  Every day.