Style, Recipes, Travel, Crafts & Household Tips
Looking for a cute easy DIY gift for the kids. Check out this DIY Gift of Reindeer Hot Chocolate! This gift requires just a few ingredients and supplies which makes it very easy to make. It so simple to make that kids can easily make them themselves for friends. Just add ingredients and a tag and you are good to go with a simple but oh so cute gift! [Read more…]
Are you looking for a simple way to make Father’s Day special for the Dads in your life? Then check out these adorable free Father’s Day printables that make a great homemade Father’s Day Gift. We include both necktie-shaped bottle tags and cupcake toppers. I included four different tags. Some are more elegant and some are more playful and you can choose which ones fit the Dads in your life. These are so easy to make that even the kids could help cut these out or help assemble them making them a great father’s day gift from kids. Plus, you probably already have most of the supplies to complete this project at home! [Read more…]
My entire family loves Easter and we always seem to acquire so many plastic Easter eggs after the holiday has come and gone. I always try to think of fun and creative ways to upcycle these boring plastic Easter eggs and this year I decided to do Chalkboard Easter Eggs. These are so easy to make and you and your kids can have so much fun decorating them with designs and cute, short sayings or designs! [Read more…]
Easy mint bath salts recipe with free printable. Makes a cute favor or gift.
With St. Patricks day coming up around the corner it’s such a great time to whip up some homemade gifts to give out to your loved ones. I made these Homemade DIY Mint Bath Salts as a present to myself and they turned out so cute I made a few more batches! I just love how relaxing scented bath salts can be. [Read more…]
I just love making these spa sock cupcakes and who doesn’t like warm fuzzy socks? I wrapped this sock cupcake for my daughter’s teacher for Valentine’s Day, but you can make these for any holiday or occasion. These cute treats make great, inexpensive gifts for your kids’ teachers, for friends, bridal or baby showers, or even inexpensive party favors for your tween or teen’s birthday party. They are quick and easy to put together and I just love how they look wrapped in cellophane and tied with a pretty ribbon. If you are using these as favors, these would also look adorable if they were set up on a tiered cake plate or on a cupcake tree. [Read more…]
Valentine’s Day is just around the corner and you will love our cute free EOS Valentine printable cards, made to hold those cool EOS lip balms. My tween loves to collect different EOS lip balms and these make fun Valentine’s Day treats for kids, tweens, teens or adults. These are so simple to make and we have created two different printable cards. One is Valentine’s Day themed and the other EOS Lip Balm card, you can use to give these fun lip balms as small gifts, all year long.
You can buy EOS lip balms just about everywhere. They sell them at Target, Walmart and at most drug stores for around $3-4. I have also found them on Amazon. I sometimes buy them with coupons at Ulta stores too. CVS and Walgreens carries the Beauty 360 brand, made by Revo, which is a similar size to the EOS lip balm brand. You can also buy the Revo brand at the Dollar Tree, under the name Chap Ice for just a dollar! It is about half the size, but at a better price. I have included smaller printable cards to fit the smaller Dollar Tree Chap Ice/Revo lip balms. If you are going to make 6, these packs are a great deal.
I am always on the looking for easy ways to make Valentine’s day just a little more special. These cute mini Valentine treat boxes are so easy to make and you can make easily make someone’s day just a little more special.
Just follow these simple directions to make the treat boxes.
These are mini treat boxes so you will want to have just little candy to put in them. Valentine Hershey kisses and Valentine candy corn work perfectly. You can see the size of the box in the picture above.
These mini treat boxes would be perfect for school parties or any type of Valentine’s day get together. You could even print them and have them at a family dinner. There are really so many ways that these treat boxes can add just that little special touch. The beauty is that they look so cute and fun but are so simple to make. I hope you enjoy them!
Valentine Quiz for Kids – Easy Valentine Kids Activity
DIY Star Wars Valentines with printable
Valentine’s Day Conversation Heart Sugar Cookies
I love making these pretty bath bombs at home and it is a fun project to do with kids, tweens or teens. These bombs make great affordable gifts for a variety of ages or they are fun treats to use at home. It is so much fun to experiment with different scents and colors to create these amazing bath fizzies. I love adding body glitter to add some sparkle or other decorative sprinkles. My young teen daughter loved helping me with this project and she is already planning to make these as treats for her friends. I was surprised how much my young boys loved using these bombs too!
Finding the ingredients for bath bombs at your local brick and mortar stores can be pricey and challenging, so we have compliled some resources on how to find quality bath bomb ingredients at a great price and they will come right to your doorstep. It takes an initial investment for some of the molds and oils, but you will end up with ingredients to make lots of bombs at an affordable price. Make sure to order a good amount of supplies so you have plenty to experiment with.
There are so many recipes out there on the internet for bath bombs, but I have found this recipe, which includes the addition of skin-softening kaolin clay to create durable bombs that can easily be gifted without breaking. Plus, kaolin clay is great for your skin and has other household uses. Creating bath bombs takes a little practice, but it is a great project for both beginner and advanced crafters. I will say my first batch wasn’t the best, but my kids were thrilled to use my flopped bath bombs and they fizzed just the same. Just be sure to order plenty of ingredients so you can experiment. Once you get the hang of it, making bath bombs is so much fun!
Citric acid is the main ingredient that will make your bath bomb fizz and I love that it is both all natural and also used in the food industry. It can be pricey in your local store, but I buy it in a big 5 lb bag and if I order other items with it, I can get it shipped at an affordable price for free. It also has other uses such as for cleaning toilets, descaling your coffee machine, unclogging drains and cleaning the inside of your dishwasher. Store it in an airtight container to keep it fresh.
Citric Acid is sold by the pound:
Coconut Oil
Coconut oil has so many great uses in the kitchen and it is also a great softening oil for your skin. You may also love cocoa butter to use as an oil in this recipe. I used coconut oil in my bath bombs, but you may like to try one of these other oils or butters in your bombs. Solids should be melted for a few seconds in your microwave to liquify them for use.
Oils that can be used in your bombs:
Kaolin Clay
Kaolin Clay is often used in bath products or in mineral makeup and it will soften your skin. Plus, it also makes your bath bomb harden properly so it won’t break.
The 1lb bag lasts a long time:
Fragrance Oils
There are so many great fragrance oils available. I had fun ordering the scents that my kids would love like vanilla ice cream, cotton candy, toasted marshmallow and pink sugar from Chelsea’s. I included information on how to order from Chelsea’s, plus some other types of fragrance oils. Be sure you check the size of each bottle that you are buying. I found that each 1/2 ounce bottle will work for two batches of these bath bombs. You can buy these fragrance oil in sets or individually. I bought several bottles so I could make multiple batches. These oils can be used for other DIY skin and body projects as well.
Bath Bomb molds
I prefer stainless steel bath bomb molds myself. They are more durable than the aluminum molds and they don’t have a chemical reaction to your ingredients. They also clean easily and don’t retain the scent of your oils. I mold them one after another and let my bombs dry in a muffin pan covered in plastic. Plastic molds can also be bought in large packs. Some people like to let their bath bombs dry in their molds and this way, you have lots of molds to use. Molds also come in a variety of sizes. I prefer the medium to large size for larger bathtubs like this 2.5 inch mold that I used in my project.
Body Glitter
I love putting body glitter in my bath bombs for that princess effect. When your bomb fizzes in the water, a light layer of glitter floats on the surface. It is both fun and pretty! Body glitter comes in teeny bottles, but I have found that it lasts a while. I like sprinkling it in the mold first and then packing in my mixture. That way it is on the top of the bomb.
Coloring
I used the Wilton Color Right System to color my bath bombs. There is a brochure included on how to achieve different, hard-to-mix colors and it was very helpful, plus each bottle lasts a long, long time. It took about 45-50 drops of color to achieve vibrant colors. If you are splitting the recipe in half and doing marbled coloring, I did about 25-30 drops of each color in the proportions listed in the brochure. You can also use more “professional” products to color your bombs called mica colors. Mica is similar to coloring that is used in eye shadows.
1 cup Citric Acid
2 cups Baking Soda
2 Tablespoons melted butter or oil (either Cocoa Butter, Coconut oil or shea butter)
4 Tablespoons Kaolin Clay
1 Tablespoon Fragrance Oil
Food Coloring or Mica Color
Witch Hazel in a spray bottle
Optional: Body Glitter or Sugar Sprinkles
Bath bomb molds, either plastic or metal
Disposable Rubber gloves
Large Strainer
Bowls (I prefer stainless) and wisks (large and small)
Parchment paper and plastic wrap
Muffin tin covered in plastic wrap for drying
Cello bags for wrapping
Make sure you set out everything you need within arm’s reach so you can mix quickly.
Measure your citric acid, baking soda and kaolin clay and place in your strainer over your bowl. Use a wisk inside the strainer to break down any lumps. Take your wisk and thoroughly mix your dry ingredients. If your oil of choice is solid, melt it for a few seconds in the microwave. In separate, small bowl mix the oil and fragrance oil together. **If you want to make two-colored bombs, you can divide your dry ingredients evenly in separate bowls and divide your wet ingredients into separate bowls.** If you choose to divide, you will have two bowls of dry ingredients and two bowls of your oils. Add your coloring to the wet ingredients and wisk.
Get your witch hazel handy and put on your disposable gloves. Use one hand to slowly add your wet ingredients to your dry, only a few drops at a time (so that your mix does not fizz), and use your other hand to knead the mix. Once all of your oil and color mixture has been added, keep kneading. Spray a few spritzes of witch hazel in at time until you get the perfect texture. If you live in a dry climate, you will need lots of spritzes. If you live in a humid climate, you won’t need as much. Your mixture should be like wet sand. Squeeze a handful together and if it stays formed, it is ready. If it cracks, it is too dry. If you are doing two colors, repeat for the second color until you have two bowls of colored mixture, the texture of wet sand.
If you are using sprinkles or body glitter, put a little bit into one side of your mold. Pack each side of your mold with the wet sand mixture, until it is mounded and overflowing. If you have two colors of mixture, I alternate layers of colors in my mold for a fun effect. Press together. If you are using a stainless mold, you can remove immediately and place on a muffin tin covered with plastic wrap. If you prefer to have multiple plastic molds, fill and leave for a few hours, then gently tap on the mold to remove. Allow your bombs to dry a full 24-48 hours and then place in an airtight container or airtight bag.
Sift all of your dry ingredients to removed clumps. Any clumps in your dry ingredients causes warts and lumps in your bath bombs. I use my wisk to push the ingredients through the sieve. It makes the dry mix sift quickly.
Use a wisk to thoroughly mix your dry ingredients until they are well-blended.
If you are dividing your ingredients to make two colored bombs, after your oils are mixed (no color yet!), divide your oils into two small bowls like this. THEN, add your colors to each bowl. I used these Wilton food colors and I used about 25-30 drops of color in my divided bowls. Then I wisked the wet ingredients.
Add your wet ingredients just a few drops at a time to make sure your wet ingredients don’t react with the dry. If you pour in too much wet ingredients at a time, it will remove the “fizz” from your bombs. Use your gloved hands to bury and mix the drops of wet.
After all the wet is mixed in, start spritzing your Witch Hazel, just 1-2 sprays at a time and keep mixing. Too many spritzes at one time will also cause your mix to have a fizzy reaction. Your mix should resemble wet sand. Squeeze handfuls of your mix together to test it. When you handfuls no longer crack, your mix is done. If your mix is too dry, your bath bombs will crack after they are molded. If they are too wet, then will not hold their shape after they are molded and they will flatten.
-Optional: Place a few drops of mineral or baby oil in your mold and wipe out excess with a paper towel. This can help your bombs unmold easier.
-Sprinkle glitter or sugar sprinkles in your mold first before adding your mix so that they glitter will appear on top of your bombs.
-Overpack each side and press firmly together
-If you are using a stainless mold, you can mold one after another. If you are using a set of plastic molds, you can leave them in your molds for 1-3 hours before unmolding. Just tap the outside of your plastic mold gently with a spoon.
-Cover a muffin pan with plastic wrap to create hammocks for your bath bombs. Place each unmolded bomb in the hammocks to dry.
-Allow your bombs to dry 24-48 hours and then place in an airtight container or an airtight bag.
Looking for a great easy DIY Gift In a Jar? How about Peppermint Hot Chocolate Mix in a Jar. This easy and yummy DIY gift is perfect for friends, teachers coaches and more. It is so easy to make and we even included some free printable labels to decorate your jar. [Read more…]
I’m sure you have seen these no-snag hair ties at stores like Anthropologie, Sephora and Claire’s. They are great because they won’t cause breakage to your hair or leave big dents in your hair like regular hair rubber bands. They are made of fold over elastic, which is gentle to the hair and this type of elastic comes in so many fun colors, prints, and textures. I saw some of these hair ties at my local bookstore the other day for $11 for a 4-pack. It costs pennies to make these yourself, plus they are quick and easy to make. You can also attach beads or flowers to jazz them up or just leave them plain. If you scroll down, you can see a hair tie that I made for my daughter with a pretty silver, rhinestone-studded flower attached. They also double as a bracelet until you are ready to put your hair up in a pony. I made this pretty blue set for my good girlfriend and exercise buddy. We go walking together while our kids are at school and I know she will love these for walking and biking. I used the printable template to make a pretty card to hold this set of hair ties, put them in a cellophane bag, tied them with some twine and attached a fun tag. [Read more…]
My tween daughter recently started making all sorts of charms with her Rainbow Loom with the many tutorials online. Over the holidays, she made me a cute snowflake charm and I attached it to the pencil that I keep at my computer desk. My daughter makes these charms and since they stretch and loop around just about anything, she has charms attached to her backpack, her purse and her pencil case. She also makes them for friends at school.
I thought that Rainbow Loom charm valentines would be a cute idea for tweens since most are no longer buying the character valentines. There are many different types of Rainbow Loom charms and some are easy and others more complicated. If you are making them for the whole class, I suggest choosing an easier design or your tween can make them for siblings, neighbors or just for their close friends as something extra special. Some of the fun ones that I have seen are flowers, hearts, mustaches, animals. [Read more…]