What you need:

• 1 1/2 cups sugar (cheap is fine)
• 1/4 cup olive oil, plus a wee bit more
• zest from a piece of citrus fruit

This is so easy and so wonderful!

Steps:

1. In a pretty glass bowl (just because the pictures are prettier), mix sugar and 1/4 cup olive oil. The consistency should be a little like lumpy, cold Cream of Wheat. It will hold together in a ball but will crumble apart when rubbed. If it is too crumbly, add a wee bit more olive oil.
2. Zest a piece of citrus fruit. I used a micro-planer because my sister told me to, and I am compliant. (A zester or fine grater really will work, too.) One lemon and one lime, an orange, or a grapefruit is all you need. This adds a delicious smell, a little color, and probably plays a crucial role in the exfoliating properties of the scrub. Not really. But it does smell good. (Hint: If you want a manly version, add a tiny bit of an essential oil–maybe vanilla or peppermint–instead of the zest. This will smell good, but it isn’t nearly as much fun as using a micro-plane.)
3. Mix the zest into the sugar and oil mixture.
4. Put the sugar scrub in cute little canning jars. Mine came from Target, but grocery stores carry them, too. Wide-mouth jars are easier to fill, and one recipe will fill one pint sized jar. Or two, if you fill just a little over half.
5. Tie a ribbon, add a simple tag, and there you have it. A simple, useful gift for everyone. Especially the girly types.

Give these for:

• Bridal shower party favors
• Thank you gifts
• Teenager gifts
• Hostess gifts
• Christmas

Instructions for use:

1. Dampen hands (or feet, elbows, knees, etc.)
2. Scoop a rounded tablespoon of scrub and rub thoroughly for a minute or so.
3. Apply one pump of gentle liquid soap and rub another minute.
4. Rinse completely.
5. Moisturize with a small dot of Neutrogena Norwegian Formula Unscented Hand Cream.
6. Ask everyone, even strangers on the street, to touch your hands and remark on their softness.

*Caveat: Do not use the Sugar Scrub and then attempt to play a basketball game. My daughter discovered that soft hands and sweat make holding onto a basketball really difficult.

Linking up here:

Blah. Blah. Blah.

But finally, the piles of snow are gone. (Fingers are crossed that we are done with that.) I am really looking forward to spring! This week, we actually saw some sunshine. That always seems to give me a burst of decorating energy. I had the burst of energy–but little time and money. I looked around the internet and came up with some inspiration.

This is from Just a Girl‘s March 2 post…And this is just the door from her garage into her house! Doesn’t it look wonderful? I am stealing this idea as soon as I have time…Except I might go red.

from j-a-girl.blogspot.com

I love the simple but friendly look of this:

photo by Gideon Strauss

Then, I looked around my house and found a wreath with the beautiful spring green that I love and some raffia.

Some Spring Green

I flipped the Welcome mat around, (snow shoveling had caused us to welcome ourselves), swept a bit, and ta-da! A perkier, slightly more welcoming front door. (I’m going to have to do something about that gray color if we don’t replace the whole thing before long…)

Mini Make-Over with a Berry Wreath

Notice the lovely green magnet? I cannot get it off! Beware of super strong magnets…Ah, well. At least, it adds a little color.

Wreath from Inside, Looking Out

Front Door--Slightly More Welcoming--Pots of Pansies to Come!

Hope your coffee and your day are delicious! Thanks, Rachel Anne, for hosting through www.homesanctuary.typepad.com.

Daughter's Method--The Wadded-up Throw

My family is a mixture. I am a folder-draper (not a neat stack, but rather, folded then draped longways over the end of the couch.) The son is a definite folder (when he has “time”!) The daughter is the notorious wadder-upper. (She apparently never has time!) My husband just would like for the throws to be clean (perhaps the most important attribute). He really doesn’t ask for much.

Son's Style--The Folded Throw

There is even the faction out there that actually throws the throw. But that is a little too literal for me.

We have a few different types of throws in this house. Fleece, cotton store-bought, chenille, and raggy flannel (my favorite!)

My Style--Folded/Draped Raggy Flannel Throw

I leave most of them out year-round. (I get cold even in the summer–thanks to a family who has much thicker blood than I.)

No matter what kind of throw you have, keep it clean. Wash often, and it will be much more enjoyable to snuggle under! That distasteful what-is-that-smell smell that comes with kids and animals (and adults, if we are being honest) can taint a perfect cozy evening at home…Yes. I speak from experience.

Tide plus febreze--Great Product!

Though Christmas is not at all about stuff, we do tend to accumulate more of it at this time of year. Some of it is meaningful to us, some of it helps us in our daily lives, some of it makes us more comfortable, and some of it just makes us smile. Here are a few of my favorite things–from 2009 and from years past. Be sure to take a look at the photos toward the end–the thing that Christmas really is about.

Charles Dickens spoke through Ebeneezer Scrooge when he said, “I will honour Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year.” I hope that is true for us all!

Musical We Three Kings

Pine Cone Elf

String of Angels

Father Christmas

Un-nested Santas

Preschool Manger--I love this one!

Ornament from Peru

Simple but lovely!

Gift from son in 2002

African nativity

Unique nativity

Another view

Nativity

My favorite...so far!

Sometimes you just have to say, I’m going to give this a shot!

Several months ago, I was surfing, looking for At-Home business ideas that might involve writing. I stumbled across an article on businessknowhow.com about writing letters from Santa to children as a small, home-based business. Santa needs ghost writers…Who knew? I thought this sounded like a fun idea, so I started doing some research.

After several months,  St. Nick’s Secretary has been launched. (I have to give my husband credit for the name!) It gives me a chance to do a little writing, have a little fun, and perhaps to make a little money. (fingers crossed) So, it is official–and open for business. Click on the button to the right if you want to take a look. If it makes some children smile, I will be really happy.

Letter writing. With paper and pen.

It seems to be an art that is slowly dying, and I don’t want to see it go! I have to blame technology, to a degree, and our fast-paced, instantly-gratified way of living. But that doesn’t mean that letter writing has to disappear! Even taking five minutes to dash off a quick notecard to let someone know you were thinking about them or to thank someone for a favor is taking a stand against the death of the letter.

Here are some tips to make it easier:

• Gather a letter writing kit in a decorated shoebox or cute basket.
• Include:  Address book, stamps, return address labels or stamp, box(es) of note cards, pens, a few envelopes, and a pad of stationery (or plain paper–or lined paper, if you are worried about neatness)
• Keep an ongoing list in the basket of people you would like to write or send a card to. Update the list often!
• Set a time–once a week or two, maybe on payday or the day you put Frontline on your dog. If you schedule the time, you might actually do it!
• Be realistic. Write only one or two letters or cards at a time.
• Get totally over being a perfectionist. Nobody cares if your handwriting is printed. It just needs to be legible. And nobody cares if the lines are a little wavy.
• Do not get up from the table or desk until the envelope is addressed and stamped. Otherwise, if you are like me, you will find it three weeks later, tucked into your calendar. You will think it too out-dated to send. And you probably will not do a re-write. I speak from experience. Sad, but true.
• Walk it to the mailbox. And here’s the crucial last step:  Put it in the box and raise the flag. If you put it in your purse to take to work or wherever, you might remember it, but maybe not.

Your note might just be the pick-me-up that someone else needed! You do have time. If something is important, we make time for it. This is a way to reach out and touch someone–and you do not need a modem. Please join me when I say:

Save the letter!

(shameless plug)

Glad I don't have to do this! (photo by Francois Schnell)

My neighbor’s house across the street always looks clean. (Inside, too.) My home seems to suffer by comparison…But one thing I notice immediately is how clean Mary’s windows are. No bird droppings, no oily hand prints, and no dog-nose smudges. And no screens! I think the “no screens” thing is the main reason her windows are so pristine. (I like you in spite of your neat and sparkly house, Mary.)

Windows aren’t my only problem. I tend to let things go for a while, and then I go totally berserk, spinning madly into a cleaning frenzy. My house is approaching the point of no return, so a frenzy is imminent. It’s Do or Die; Now or Never…You get my point. (What would the FlyLady say? You don’t know the FlyLady? Check her out at www.flylady.net. Lots of tips, lists, and encouragement.)

I’m getting a late start today, but the time has come. Watch out dirt, dog hair, dust bunnies, and smudged windows. Your days are numbered. I need a plan–and lots of energy. And this time, I’ll remember the windows.

It’s kind of messy for your hands, but try newspaper instead of a roll of paper towels when cleaning windows and mirrors. It really adds some sparkle! I’ve heard of using vinegar and warm water as a quick, good, homemade solution. I might try that over Windex. We’ll see…What’s your best cleaning solution for glass?

Wish me luck. It’s a jungle in here.

My good friend and domestic guru Jill (She needs her own website!) always makes her gift wrapping look as special and thoughtful as the gift she gives. So, when I gave her a birthday gift, I felt the pressure to be creative in the wrapping. Here is the gift–and how I gave it to her.

Domesticity Book

Domestic Wrapping

I used a piece of fabric that I had left-over from a project and some stray ribbon. I pinked the edges of the fabric and wrapped the book without a single piece of tape. The best part is that I didn’t spend any money on a sad, little gift bag. An added bonus:  It was quick! (I admit, the bow is a little…little. But that was the end of my ribbon scrap, and I actually like the “understated look”. ha.)

I think she loved the wrapping–and I know she loved the book! I’ll bet that little piece of fabric gets used in a project, too.

A few other wrapping ideas:

• Brown paper packages, tied up with string (yes, one of my favorite things)
• Cellophane. It comes on a roll. Look for it at dollar stores. Cut a big square, place gift on top, and gather the edges up. Tie on a ribbon. It makes anything look more special!
• Use colorful comic strips for birthday gifts.
• Use a part of the gift. For example, wrap a friend’s birthday gift in a colorful scarf. Two gifts in one package!
• Stock up on $1 bandannas. They come in every color and make great, reusable giftwrap. With ribbon, of course.
• Stock up on wire-edged ribbon. Sam’s Club and Costco both carry huge spools of ribbon (mostly Christmas) for around $10. This ribbon is so easy to work with. If you think you can’t make the “perfect” bow, this ribbon will make you think again. Use it with cellophane, brown paper, or just with a naked gift!
• Wrap a box and lid separately. Do not tape the lid to the bottom! This box will be used again and again. Scrap wallpaper, because of it’s weight and durability,  is the perfect covering for this box.
• Baskets, plastic bins, almost anything can be used. Simply adding a beautiful ribbon or raffia pom make the package special.

Next time you give a gift, don’t let your thoughtfulness end at the store. Make an extra effort to wrap creatively!

What are your creative (and maybe cheap frugal) ideas for gift wrapping?

Decoupaged tray with photos

Two words:  Mod Podge

Mod Podge miracle

This little project is a simple, inexpensive idea to be used in your own home or as a gift. The tray pictured is on my own kitchen counter, but I actually made one for each of my four siblings and their families.

Since my family is a bit large for full-blown Christmas shopping, my siblings and I decided a few years ago to quit buying gifts for each other, spouses, and grown children. However, we do still send each other a little something, usually–wine, pictures, cookies, wine…You get the idea. You can’t go wrong with the wine thing, but I wanted to do something a bit different.

I bought a bunch of these simple, golden trays at Old Time Pottery.  I believe they were $7 each. After finding the trays, all I had to do was gather pictures of each, individual family, arrange them in some pleasing sort of way, and go to town with the Mod Podge. This decoupage medium acts as a glue and sealer. This whole bottle cost $6 and contains enough Mod Podge to glue and seal a small house. Add a $.39 foam brush, and you are set to go.

First, clean the tray and arrange pictures, postcards, dried flowers, pretty paper, etc. on your tray. Overlapping is fine and adds a nice touch, as long as the objects do not become too bulky. I decided to only use pictures, with no other embellishments but later wished I had added more. Just because I like more.

Next, carefully coat the back of each picture or object with a coat of Mod Podge. You will want to cover the entire surface of the back of the object. Place objects back on the tray, one by one in desired format, working from bottom layer out.

Allow objects to dry for a few minutes. Then, coat the entire surface with a generous, but not too thick, coat of Mod Podge. (It goes on milky but dries clear.) Let dry several minutes. Depending upon how the tray (in this case) will be used, add additional coats, to protect the surface. These trays have three coats of the medium.

Don’t get stuck on the tray idea. Make a memory box, plaque, plate, shelf, table top, etc. Use your own creativity to make something unique–for yourself or for someone else!

Forgive the flash!

After quick-cleaning my half-bath this week, I stood back to admire the sparkle and take in the clean smell of Windex. Instead I noticed the big, empty wall. (Yes, it’s been that way for about eight years–ever since the swirly green wallpaper went up.) I could never really figure out what to hang there, but OBVIOUSLY, something was lacking. And though folks don’t usually discuss what we do in this little room (unless you are in my family), we do need something to look at while we are in there.

I love to see “my people”, as we called them where I grew up–some who were dead before I was born. I love the rich family history that these photos tell and hold secret. Through the years, I had used my most pitiful look on my mother a few times and came away with some wonderful family photos. (score!) My husband took a bolder approach and simply claimed his family’s history–when his mother wasn’t looking. (She’s as sweet as can be, but she could still clean his clock if she wanted.)

I had put these photos in inexpensive ($5 or less) frames, purchased at different times. They are black and dark brown, but I think they work well together. I had put the framed photos in a box until I could decide where to hang them. Then, I remembered visiting a friend, Debbie G., who had a simple wall grouping of black and white family photos in her powder room. I loved the idea, and having a memory like a steel trap (grin), that image from a couple of years ago came back to me.

I spent a few minutes laying them out on the floor, tweaking until I liked what I saw. Some people cut paper templates the sizes of their pictures and tape on the wall, but for me, the old floor works just fine. Plus, it’s faster. I tend to group, keeping balance in mind, and I wanted this sort of collage-look. You can also hang photos in a diamond shape, or begin with the bottom edges of photos even horizontally, then go from there. Trust your eye, though. If something doesn’t look right, move it before you put that nail in the wall. Also, bring in something different. I had this sconce and postcard holder. 3D is good.

I thought this project would take 20 minutes, but honestly, it took about an hour. And remember that my photos were already in frames. But the finished product is just what I wanted. I think my people in this house will like it. (At least, they’ll have something to look at when they’re in there.)

TaDa!

Spring motivates some to clean (wish it were me!), some to plant (maybe someday), and some to rearrange. I am a re-arranger. What could be easier? It costs nothing (well…it CAN cost nothing) and can be a quick project. It can also take all day, depending on what gets rearranged.

Furniture shuffling can give a room new life and purpose. It can also be hard on the back so you might need an able-bodied assistant. Or try using the disc-shaped furniture movers. I have a set of Moving Men, purchased at the now defunct Linens ‘N Things, also sold “As Seen on TV.” These little guys are terrific, but others should also get the job done. They are pretty amazing! I really wish I had two sets…

Rearranging your wall art is a much more back-friendly project and can also change the feel of a space. Just don’t freak out about the holes. Spackle and touch-up paint take care of about anything. But you might want to wait until you decide on your new arrangement. The holes might not even show!

Here are a few ideas about hanging art and other items of interest on your walls. These ideas might break a few rules, but who cares? It is your home, after all. Besides, every decorator follows a different set of rules, and even their lists contradict each other sometimes. Try this rule:  If you like the way it looks, then do it. So, these are “ideas”, not “rules”.

• Hang a variety of items in a space. For example, use some photos, some prints, if you’re lucky enough, an oil painting, and try to add some 3-dimensional object. Even if you have a photo gallery in a stairwell or hallway, the occasional shadow box of memorabilia or sports medal will add lots of interest.
• With art pieces (especially matted prints), I am usually happier with colors that fit in my space. For example, in my apple butter family room, I probably would not pick pieces with lots of pink in them.
• If your walls are white or very neutral (!), I would mix in LOTS of color. (I don’t really know this for sure because only woodwork is allowed to be white in my house.:))
• If your walls are colorful, try to keep mats neutral. My daughter’s artist/teacher mats everything with a white or cream mat. She says it helps the artwork be the focus. It also make groupings fit better together.
• Think clusters of three. Or five. Odd numbers are pleasing to the eye. But then again, symmetry can be great in a room, as well. (See what I mean about those danged rules?)
• Know your style. Do you like a full look? Or are you a minimalist? I am definitely no minimalist. But I decorate for me and my family–not for you. You should do the same. I once knew a very creative, talented woman who hung pictures and objects floor to almost ceiling. There was a lot to see, but it was beautiful! You might not want your whole house covered, but you might try a room of this.
• If you own something special to you, give it a place of prominence where you will enjoy it and see it daily. The picture hung in the middle of my inexpensive colored plates is a pastel, done by my daughter Olivia.

  

  I absolutely love it and had to give it it’s due. These plates were from a grocery/everything store, and the metal arch was $10 at Old Time Pottery. I thought the objects enhanced the art.

• Try moving art to a different space. Walls, like everything, get a little tired after a while. That boring picture in your hallway could really perk up the bathroom!

I have lots of other thought about hanging art and objects. Ideas for another post, I hope. The bottom line here is Don’t be afraid to switch wall stuff around. It can freshen up a room in a snap!