DIY gifts – Page 3 – Our Beautifully Messy House

DIY Chocolate Orange Sugar Scrub

February 15, 2015September 26, 2015 Porter Leave a comment

As we move towards Spring, I keep thinking of citrus, lemon-blueberry muffins, lemonade and sunshine! Unfortunately though, we’re not quite there yet…wind chills today in the negative digits! I think it was 4 degrees out when we woke up this morning! Brrr… And let me tell you, this cold weather is not helping the chocolate addiction I acquired over the holidays. So with all that stirring around inside of me, I dreamed up this CHOCOLATE ORANGE SUGAR SCRUB and it is divine!!! Just what I needed today! This would be great to use in the bath or shower!

Ingredients:

1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 Tbsp cocoa powder
3 Tbsp olive oil (almond oil or coconut oil)
~15 drops (1/2 tsp) Sweet Orange oil
1-2 tsp orange zest (optional)

First, mix together the sugars with a fork. If your brown sugar is clumpy, try to mix until most of the clumps are gone.

Mix in the 2 Tbsp of cocoa powder.

Next, stir in the olive oil one Tbsp at a time. Some olive oils are pretty potent…if you have almond or coconut oil on hand you can certainly substitute that for the olive oil. I’m all about using what I already have though…and it turned out great!

Once the olive oil is added, stir in some Sweet Orange Oil. (I found mine in the organics section of our grocery store.) To really bring the aroma up a notch, add about 2 tsp of orange zest to the scrub! Now it is certainly good enough to eat, but even better to exfoliate your skin with in the bathtub! The sugars will scrub away any dry, dead skin and the oil will leave you with just the right amount of moisture.

Spoon your concoction into 2 jars…one for you and one for a friend! Enjoy!!!

20 Non-Candy Valentine Ideas!

January 25, 2015January 15, 2016 Porter Leave a comment

Valentine’s Day is just around the corner…time to spread a little love and happiness! Instead of giving out candy this year, why not make some NON-CANDY VALENTINES for friends and loved ones? Here are a few ideas for your kids’ friends and for yours…you may even want to make a “Thumbprint Necklace” for yourself! Most of these are really quick and easy to make too! Enjoy!!!

Just click on the link under each picture for the “how-to!”

For kids:

Homemade Sidewalk Chalk

Hidden Fairy Bath Bombs

DIY Pocket Parachutes

Fairy Folk

Sock Puppets

Melted Crayon Stones…Love Rocks!

Craft Stick Fairy Doors

Scented Play Dough

Story Stones

DIY Capes…Wizard Capes…Superhero Capes

Sensory Bottles, Sparkle Bottles, Glow-in-the-Dark Bottles, and an Ocean in a Bottle!

DIY Flower Fairies

Doorknob Mushroom-Fairy Houses

For adults:

Thumbprint Necklace

DIY Chocolate Orange Sugar Scrub

Semisoft Honeysuckle Soap

Heart Wreath

Strawberry Jam Scones

Cardboard Heart Stamps

Melted Crayon Art with Variations

GF Strawberry Jam Scones

January 16, 2015September 27, 2015 Porter Leave a comment

This quick, easy, absolutely delectable, melt-in-your-mouth recipe for GF STRAWBERRY JAM SCONES is adapted from Parents’ “Jammy Scones.” One of the best things about them is you probably already have all the ingredients in your cupboard! L and I whipped up these GF STRAWBERRY JAM SCONES one afternoon while WB took a nap. It was our first time making scones and was a big success!!!

It’s hard not to devour them all hot out of the oven! I had to hurry up and take a picture before they were gone! GF STRAWBERRY JAM SCONES are such a yummy breakfast on these chilly, winter mornings. If you make them the day before, just pop them in the oven for a minute or two to warm them up! Add a cup of coffee or tea…pure heaven!!!

Ingredients:

2 cups flour (I use Arrowhead Mills GF flour)
3 Tbsp. sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, cold
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
1/4 – 1/3 cup strawberry jam
egg wash (1 egg whisked with 1 1/2 tsp milk)

Heat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

In a med-large bowl mix together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Cut the butter into small cubes and add it to the flour mixture. Using your hands, mix, squeeze and crumble the mixture together until it’s crumbly.

In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and milk. Add the egg and milk to the flour mixture. Stir with a fork until evenly moist and the dough comes together.

Next, pour the mixture out on a floured surface and with flour on your hands, knead dough together. Separate the dough in half. Roll each half into a ball and then press flat with your hands. Makes about a 7 or 8-inch disk.

Transfer one disk to the cookie sheet. Spread the strawberry jam over the disk leaving a half-inch border. Lay the second disk on top of the first and pinch around the edges to seal them.

Carefully, cut the dough into 8 equal wedges and spread them apart a bit on the tray. Leave about 1 inch of space between the scones. Brush the tops with the egg wash. If you don’t have a brush, use a spoon to gently spread the egg wash around. If you want a little heart on top of each scone, gently press a mini-cookie cutter about 1/4-inch deep on top of each scone. So cute!!!

Bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes, until the scones are gently browned. (Better brew some coffee or tea while you’re waiting!) Let cool for a few minutes on the cookie sheet before moving them to a wire rack to cool completely.

This is when you think you’ll just take a teeny tiny taste of one and before you know it an entire STRAWBERRY JAM SCONE has disappeared! Good thing you had some coffee or tea ready to complete the moment! Enjoy!!!

DIY Heart Wreath

January 14, 2015January 12, 2016 Porter Leave a comment

I’m so glad I dreamt this HEART WREATH up last night…it’s that time of year when your Christmas wreath needs to come down off the front door, but it’s not quite time for your Spring wreath to go up. This HEART WREATH is cute, simple, sweet and perfect to get us through the months of January and February!

Materials needed:

wire coat hanger
fabric scraps
scissors
pliers
ribbon

First, untwist the coat hanger apart. It’s easiest to do this part with your hands, holding the top of the hanger in one hand and untwisting it from below with the other.

Once the hanger comes apart, try to smooth out some of the bends. Gently fold the hanger in half as well.

Next, bend the hanger into a heart shape, looping the ends together with the pliers. It’s okay if your heart isn’t perfect…the fabric scraps will hide any blemishes.

Once you are satisfied with your wire heart, it’s time to cut some fabric strips. Each strip should be about 1-1.5 inches wide and 5-7 inches long. They do not all have to be the exact same length!

Now to assemble your wreath…simply knot the fabric strips around the wire. Pull each knot taut and, every once in a while, push the knots down so you can squeeze on as many fabric strips as possible.

If the fabric you’re using is blank on the underside, simply fold it in half before knotting.

Once your heart wreath is made, use a ribbon to hang it on your front door! So sweet!!!

This wreath would also be beautiful hanging inside in a kitchen window or on a wall! Enjoy!!! Happy Valentine’s Day!

DIY Thumbprint Necklace

December 21, 2014September 28, 2015 Porter 2 Comments

All the thumbprint ornaments and Christmas decorations I’ve seen lately have led me to think about making a smaller version for a necklace. I love anything that helps me savor and preserve these precious years and moments with my little ones. So, I started researching ideas for thumbprint necklaces. There are lots for sale out there for nearly $150-$200…yikes! But there are also some DIYs out there. We tried a few styles and techniques this week…some were okay, others didn’t work out at all, but this one was nearly perfect! Simple and sweet! We modified it a little to make the THUMBPRINT NECKLACE work for us and I just love how they turned out!

I made one using my thumbprint for L to hang around her neck and we made one using L and WB’s thumbprints for myself. (Pssst…we also made a little keepsake for Daddy to keep in his pocket too! L can’t wait to give it to him for Christmas this week!)

Materials needed:

Sculpey, silver (oven-bake clay)
wax paper
hardback book
tiny heart cookie cutter
letter stamps (optional, though leather printing kits work great!)
toothpick
crayons

First, roll and knead the clay until it becomes soft. Finish by rolling it into a ball.

With wax paper underneath the ball and wax paper on top, flatten the ball using a hardback book. Board books work great for these little project…flattens the clay evenly and quickly.

Next, using the cookie cutter, cut out a teeny, tiny heart.

On the backside you can print a name, date or initials using the letter stamps. Of course you could print the word “love” or skip this step altogether.

Carefully flip the clay over and on the opposite side press your thumbprint onto the heart. With little thumbs, you can carefully press one on each half of the heart as I did with L and WB’s.

Next, poke a hole in the heart with a toothpick. You can place the hole in the middle of the heart, though we chose to put ours to the side. Notice I left one heart without a hole…that’s the one we’ll give to my husband to keep in his pocket.

Now to bake! Preheat the oven to 275 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper (or foil) and bake the thumbprint hearts for 10 to 15 min. When they come out of the oven, wait a few minutes for them to cool. Sculpey typically hardens completely upon cooling.

Once the hearts have cooled, you can gently rub a crayon over the thumbprints to make them more visible. I tried using a gold crayon first, but on the silver clay black definitely shows up best! If you made this necklace using white or pearly-colored clay, I think any color would shine through. We may try that next time!

Of course, you can also leave the thumbprint as is, without rubbing crayon over top. Just as sweet if you ask me!

Finish your necklace by adding a jump ring or some wire (as we did) and a chain. L and I are pretty smitten with our new creations! So much love!

Candy Cane Sugar Scrub

December 16, 2014January 12, 2016 Porter 2 Comments

As I was brainstorming the other day, thinking about switching out the honeysuckle oil in my Semisoft Honeysuckle Soap with peppermint oil, it occurred to me that I could try making something new altogether…a sugar scrub! Even better, a peppermint CANDY CANE SUGAR SCRUB! I had never made a sugar scrub before, but I figured it couldn’t be too hard and I was right…this one is easy peasy! What a beautiful, fun, tasty-smelling gift to give to friends this holiday season!

Ingredients:

2 cups sugar
1/2 cup olive oil (you could also use coconut or almond oil)
1 tsp peppermint oil
red food coloring
candy cane (optional)

Materials needed:

2 jars
spoons
fork
rolling pin
freezer bag
mixing bowls
thin cardboard (old cereal box…optional)
scissors

First, put the 2 cups of sugar in a large bowl and slowing add the olive oil while mixing with a fork. The texture of the sugar scrub should be similar to wet sand.

Next, add the peppermint oil and mix thoroughly.

Once the sugar scrub smells like a delicious candy cane, divide the sugar scrub and put half of the mixture into a separate bowl. Add about 10 drops of red food coloring to one of the bowls and mix thoroughly.

Place your candy cane into a freezer bag (either the gallon or quart-size). Crush it finely with a rolling pin. Add the candy cane dust to the red sugar scrub mixture.

Now you have to decide how you’d like your sugar scrub to look in the jar…either a layered, candy cane effect or a peppermint candy swirl.

To make the layered jar, it’s pretty self-explanatory…just spoon some white sugar scrub in the jar, pat it down and spoon some of the red sugar scrub on top. Pat that layer down and repeat until the jar is full!

To maker a peppermint swirl, it takes a little more time, but is still rather easy. First, cut the cereal box-cardboard into three equally sized strips. Make sure they all fit across, inside the jar.

Next, cut about half an inch off the top of one strip. Cut a full inch off another strip. The shortest strip should be the height of the jar, not any shorter.

Now, with the middle sized strip and the tallest strip, make a vertical cut up the middle of the cardboard, leaving the top half-inch uncut. Place the shortest strip of cardboard inside the jar. Next, slide the mid-sized strip down on top of the shortest one. Follow with the tallest strip. Arrange the cardboard, so the jar is equally divided.

Next, carefully fill each section using a small spoon. Baby spoons work great, but if you don’t have one you could always roll some paper into a funnel-shape and use that.

Once the jar is filled and you’ve gently pressed down on the sugar scrub, very carefully removed the cardboard pieces one at a time. Voila! A peppermint swirl!

L and I took a shower together this morning to try out our new CANDY CANE SUGAR SCRUB creation…amazing! And fun! The sugar gently exfoliates the skin, leaving it nice and smooth. This sugar scrub smells good enough to eat!

Enjoy some pampering amidst all the craziness this holiday season!

Thumbprint Christmas Lights Gifts

December 6, 2014November 23, 2015 Porter Leave a comment

I’m super-excited about how easy these THUMBPRINT CHRISTMAS LIGHTS were to do and how cute the finished products turned out! L and I made pictures for her grandparents and this adorable little onsie for her baby sister. I think we’ll be making more of these shirts this coming week…one for L and some for her friends too. The THUMBPRINT CHRISTMAS LIGHTS are just too cute!

Materials needed (shirts):

tshirt
acrylic paints
cardboard (old cereal box works)
Sharpie marker, black

Materials needed (card or picture):

paper
acrylic paints
Sharpie marker, black

First, when making prints onto clothing, put a piece of cardboard up through the middle of the shirt. A collapsed cereal box works great for little ones. This will keep any of the paint or marker from seeping through to the other side.

Next, draw a curly line across the shirt with the black Sharpie.

With the paint, help your little one make thumbprints along the line. The thumbprints shouldn’t all touch the line, though it’s okay if a few do.

Once the paint has dried completely, go back with the Sharpie and draw 2, 3, or 4 lines under each thumbprint to make them look like a string of Christmas lights.

So stinkin’ cute! Huh? WB approves!

To make a Christmas card or picture, simply do the same on a piece of card stock paper.

What else could you put THUMBPRINT CHRISTMAS LIGHTS on? A tablecloth, napkins, a small board of wood, little boy’s pants, boxer shorts for dad, ball ornaments…so many possibilities!!! Enjoy!

DIY Semisoft Honeysuckle Soap

December 5, 2014September 28, 2015 Porter Leave a comment

I have to start by telling you that I’m not a fan of smelly soaps, smelly candles. I don’t even own perfume. This honeysuckle soap is perfect though…its mild smell reminds me of childhood summers, playing outside in the woods, drinking the lil drops of honeysuckle nectar pretending it was a real treat. Just about everyone I give this soap to has asked for the recipe. It’s just that good!

Ingredients:

1 bar of unscented, white soap (my favorite to use is Dove for sensitive skin)
1 1/2 cups boiling water
1/2 to 1 tsp honeysuckle oil (I buy mine at the Handworks Gallery in Winchester, Va.)
4 drops red food coloring
10 drops yellow food coloring

Tools needed:

blender
cutting board and knife
cooking spray
paper towel
12 little jars and lids
hot glue gun and glue (optional, to secure lids)

First, put the water on to boil. While waiting for the water to boil, cut your bar of soap up into small pieces.

Place the soap into your blender. (Have the lil kids help with that step!) Pour in the boiling (or nearly boiling) water. Add the honeysuckle oil and food coloring.

Blend for 15-30 seconds. Your blender will fill to the top with foamy, lotion-like soap.

Prepare your jars with a quick spray of cooking oil. Follow by wiping the spray around the inside of the jar briefly with a paper towel.

Carefully pour the soap concoction into each little jar. Set the jars aside for a few hours before putting the lids on. The soap will firm up a bit, but will continue to have a creamy, semi-soft texture. (Most canning jars come with the lids in two pieces. Just use a hot glue gun to secure the lids together if you like. Don’t use super-glue or crazy glue!!! I made that mistake once and all the soap ended up smelling like toxic glue! Ick!)

Stick a little label on the lid; tie a ribbon or string around the jar and you have the perfect “anytime gift.” Enjoy!

DIY Vintage Postcard Christmas Garland

December 1, 2014September 28, 2015 Porter Leave a comment

Anybody that’s been to our house knows that I love garlands and the Christmas season is just another excuse for me to make and display more! Our POSTCARD CHRISTMAS GARLANDS are some of the quickest and easiest to make, plus they add a lot of character to the room. We have two postcard garlands in our house…one hangs across a wide doorway and the other under a mantel…both are made a little differently.

The first VINTAGE POSTCARD GARLAND is one that I made new this year. I found a huge collection of postcards at a local antique store a couple weeks ago and knew that I had to do something with them. I carefully went through the postcards, all from the early 1900s, and picked out some of my favorites…some I chose because of the bright and colorful picture on the front and others because of the endearing (or humorous) message written on the back.

Since these postcards were old I didn’t want to damage them in any way, so I decided to clip them to a vintage-looking string with mini-clothespins. It was that easy. You can add an old ornament or a prism, as we did, in the middle as well. I just love ours!

The second POSTCARD GARLAND is one that I made a few years ago out of new, but old looking postcards. Have you ever read any of the “Flower Fairy” books by Cicely Mary Barker? The illustrations are just beautiful!

I once found these postcards with the “Flower Fairies” depicted on them and knew it’d be perfect for a garland. No, these fairies aren’t necessarily Christmassy, but I like things a little different, a little unpredictable. This garland celebrates all things magical about the Christmas season. To make this garland, I punched holes in the tops of the postcards and strung them up. On the ends I tied a few strips of fabric, just some scraps out of my scrap pile. And that’s it! Simple, but definitely cute and fun!

Enjoy!

No-Bake Acorn Treats

November 25, 2014December 3, 2015 Porter Leave a comment

I’ve been making these ACORN TREATS for Thanksgiving for a few years now. I wish I remembered the source where I originally saw them to give the right person credit…somewhere on this big internet universe! I usually pack my ACORN TREATS into little jars and give them away to family and friends on Thanksgiving day. They are so simple to make and everyone always gobbles them up immediately…I think I’d be in trouble if I came to Thanksgiving dinner without them anymore!

Ingredients:

Hershey Kisses (dark and original)
Nutter Butter Bites
mini-chocolate chips
chocolate frosting (in a pouch or in a can)

First, to make things go quicker, prepare your work station by taking the Kisses out of their wrappers, putting the mini-chocolate chips in a lil bowl and spreading out some Nutter Butter Bites nearby.

Put a little dab of chocolate frosting on one side of the Nutter Butter Bites and push a Hershey Kiss into place. (This is the perfect time for little hands to help!)