Tonight is the first night of Hanukkah! I hope you start your holiday off right and celebrate happily and safely.
Time to show off your creative recipes, projects, and ideas!
Thursday, December 10, 2020
Sunday, December 6, 2020
How to Make Lavender and Eucalyptus Shea Butter Lotion
I absolutely love handmade soaps and bath items. Unfortunately handcrafted lotion bars didn’t work out for me. My annoying pollen allergies make my skin picky about the beeswax in them since you don’t know exactly what the bees ate before they created the wax – because you know, bee life.
I experimented making body butters and learned that the greasy feeling I didn’t care for was due to the coconut oil I added to the mix. I also learned that you can turn any homemade body butter recipe into a lotion if you add water (which needs a preservative.) OK good to know.
A few more experiments later I came up with a homemade non greasy, moisturizing lotion entirely made from plant based ingredients – including the preservatives. Yeah, yeah, I know. In green living circles many folks claim they don’t want to use chemicals. That is impossible because everything – even if it is organic – is made of chemicals, including yourself.
What I believe they mean is that they do not want to use toxic chemicals, which I totally agree with. The same goes for preservatives. This lotion recipe contains water which is the perfect breeding ground for growing mold and bacteria, which then can be dangerous to use (that’s why bath and beauty items including handmade at the farmer’s market are required to have expiration dates.) But not all preservatives are created awful! There are several natural and non toxic preservatives we can use such as Phenonip and that’s what we will be using today.
Many homemade health and beauty remedies include Vitamin E. Vitamin E is an anti-oxidant that will keep the oils in the product from going rancid (and do fantastic things for your skin) but Vitamin E will not stop mold or bacteria from growing in the mixture from, for example, being introduced to the moisturizer from dipping your hand in the jar. I like to include Vitamin E in my handmade moisturizer recipes more for its beauty properties but if it helps keep the oils from going rancid while the Phenonip keeps the entire thing mold and bacteria free I think they are two co workers that work well together. Besides Vitamin E oil is cheap and available at most grocery stores.
All Natural Zero Waste Homemade Shea Butter Moisturizer Recipe
Thursday, December 3, 2020
Friday Favorites Linky Party Week 558
It's December and I did an early deep dive into my favorite time of year - CHRISTMAS! I normally don't decorate for Christmas before Thanksgiving but this year I made the exception. Christmas lights and decor make me insanely happy especially when almost all of our decorations have a memory or story attached like the little Santas shown below.
My husband and I adopted one of these rolly polly guys when we visited a Christmas store during our vacation several years ago and he has made me smile ever since. What are your favorite December traditions?
Time to show off your creative recipes, projects, and ideas!
Monday, November 30, 2020
DIY No Sew Thread Cone Gnomes
I buy sewing machine thread in the colors I use most often in bulk by the serger cone. I use stand alone bobbin winder like this one to wind the cone thread onto an empty regular size thread spool to use on my sewing machine. (Disclosure: I am including affiliate links for your convenience.) This is supposed to keep me from running out of thread but when my historical costuming projects usually take up to 10 yards of fabric I still go through a ton of sewing thread.
Which means I have a nice little stack of empty thread cones on my To Upcycle shelf waiting for a craft project that never comes.
Until today!
I recycled empty thread cones into cute little gnomes. If you don’t have empty thread or serger cones cluttering up your house waiting to be upcycled you can use paper craft cones like these.
You will need for each gnome you want to make:
Thursday, November 26, 2020
Holiday Tablescapes and Friday Favorites Linky Party Week 557
Happy Day After Thanksgiving to my American readers and Happy Random Friday to the rest of the world!
Like many of you, our Thanksgiving was different from previous years but in all honesty, was pretty darn awesome. For only the third time in my adult life, I didn't have to travel on or for the holiday which meant I got to watch my friends march in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade (most of it was pretaped with very strict Covid 19 protocols) on TV. I'm a huge parade nerd - when I watch them I want to be in them and when I'm in them I want to watch them - and I can't remember when I've been able to indulge in my favorite Thanksgiving tradition in a very long time.
If there was any year to pull out the stops for a Thanksgiving tablescape it is 2020!
Sunday, November 22, 2020
How to Make Christmas Stocking Holders
Last Christmas I found the head of one of our Christmas stocking holders snapped off. I tried to repair it but it didn’t hold. The reindeer’s head careened to the side and stayed that way all season long.
Because there is nothing that says love and joy that a severed head on your Christmas mantle.
I immediately rejected my husband's idea of using this broken stocking hanger as the inspiration for a Godfather movie Christmas decorating theme.
I poked around for a replacement. Most were already picked over and what I saw didn’t really appeal.
The only choice is to DIY a Christmas Stocking holder myself.
DIY Christmas Ornament Stocking Holder
Thursday, November 19, 2020
IKEA Christmas Decoration Shopping Haul and Friday Favorites Linky Party 556
Most of the time our Christmas decor usually favors our combined UK heritage and how we met as Elizabethan entertainers. I have some decorations that need to be retired/retired themselves. It wouldn't hurt to add more of my Danish heritage to our Christmas celebration since it will just be us at home this year.
So I went to IKEA and bought the place out.
Shopping with my gnomies!
I should say I was very, very tempted to buy the place out because it was filled with cute gnomes. In the Scandinavian countries many of their Christmas decorations are gnomes (the Danish and Norwegians call them nisser and the Swedish call them tomte) because all these little ones ask for their service of protecting the family (and help take care of the animals if you live on a farm) is a bowl of rice porridge with a pat of butter on top at Christmas. Nisser are particular about what they want and how it is given because, well, they are just being Danish😃.
Here's what my cart looked like as I waited in the socially distanced line at checkout.
There's a whole lot of happy in this shopping cart.
Many Danish families still decorate Christmas trees with real candles that they light for a few supervised hours on Christmas Eve (that's when Danish families open presents.) As much as I love burning candles, I'm leery of putting a lit candle on a dry tree. The glass clip candle ornaments are the best of both worlds - traditional candle look without the potential fire hazard.
The heart ornaments are another Danish Christmas decorating tradition in addition to the gnomes. This year has been a series of one thing after the other. I figure we should show a lot more love for each other and have the protection of as many nisser as possible.
I used the gnome Advent calendar bags to make a Christmas tree Advent calendar I'll add to the link party below.
The most exciting score is the ceramic Julebuk (Swedish Yule Goat)! The Julebuk used to deliver presents to Swedes before Santa hit the scene. Most Julebuk decorations are traditionally made of straw but I really like the clean modern look of the IKEA Yule Goat. I look at it as a trade off since I never had a chance to buy IKEA's iconic Dala Horse decorations (another Swedish tradition.)
Time to link up your best projects, home improvements, recipes, and creative ideas!
Sunday, November 15, 2020
How to Make a Wine Advent Calendar
I like the concept of wine and beer Advent calendars for adults but the contents inside is often lower shelf booze - meh. Not to mention, the good wine and novelty Advent calendars sell out almost immediately when they are put on the store shelf.
What to do? What to do?
Make a quick and easy gnome Advent calendar using a Christmas tree!
Save this Advent calendar idea to your Pinterest boards for later! Share it with your friends!
How to Make a Christmas Tree Advent Count Down Calendar
Thursday, November 12, 2020
Funny Christmas Sweaters and Friday Favorites Linky Party 555
The Ugly Christmas Sweater trend is fun for the holidays, especially now that there are so many over the top so ugly they are kitschy fantastic sweaters out there in shopping and DIY land.
But I don't have one because I hate the way busy prints look on me.
And honestly, I'd rather have a funny or clever Christmas sweater or shirt than an "ugly" one.
So I made one for my store LNWCreativeGifts! Instead of writing Ho Ho Ho like regular people, I put in Santa's super short scientific notation of Ho cubed. You can get my funny Christmas Ho Ho Ho shirt here on your choice of many different t shirt and sweatshirt styles for men, women, and children. How cute would this be for a family Christmas card photo? (Disclosure: I am including affiliate links for your convenience.)
Time to link up your best projects, home improvements, recipes, and creative ideas!
Tuesday, November 10, 2020
How to Make Easy Embroidered Christmas Stockings
I bought a couple of color your own Christmas stocking kits (similar to these color your own Christmas Stocking kits) thinking it might be a cute reusable gift wrap idea. (Disclosure: I am including affiliate links in this post for you convenience.) I wasn’t too jazzed with the colors or quality of the three markers that came in the kit which I expected since it came from a dollar store. No big deal. I planned on coloring it with craft paint and adding a few easy embroidered accents and outlines for fun.
Sunday, November 8, 2020
How to Make Bottle Gnome Christmas Decorations
Many folks in the Scandinavian countries like to decorate their homes with gnomes for Christmas. There is a tradition where they enjoy an appetizer of rice porridge for Christmas Eve dinner and put a small bowl of it outside for the gnomes to thank them for protecting the family and helping them prosper during the year.
The gnomes get very upset and will play tricks on you if they are not rewarded with their Christmas porridge!
So personally, I think it is best to decorate with the not so fickle recycled variety and make quick and easy bottle Christmas gnome decorations. Although, just like the Irish leprechaun, gnomes don’t go away after the holiday and you can decorate with gnomes all year round if you like.
This is a very forgiving Christmas craft project because the way you make your gnome is only limited to your imagination and what craft supplies you have on hand or want to use for this project.
Thursday, November 5, 2020
DIY Cotton Bath Puff and Friday Favorites Linky Party 554
While everyone else was baking sourdough bread during quarantine, I was making hot process soap. I took notes on what I did right and wrong and while I can't quite get it as thick as commercial liquid soap like I want, it cleans and lathers beautifully especially when I use a plastic bath puff. While a loofah is zero waste because I can compost it, it doesn't perform as well as a mesh bath poof that has to be tossed after awhile due to bacteria buildup. I tried washing one once and it fell apart.
I hadn't crocheted since I was a kid and recently picked up a hook to make a dishcloth. I looked for more quick beginner crocket projects on Pinterest (follow me @condoblues on Pinterest pretty please?) and found the answer to my zero waste bath puff problem - crochet a bath puff from cotton yarn!
I followed this crochet shower puff pattern from Hooked on Patterns and it was pretty easy once I got the hang of it. My shower puff isn't perfect but still not too shabby for the third thing I crocheted as an adult. Best of all, I can wash it in a mesh lingerie bag in the washing machine when I need to - no more bath puffs in my trash can ever again!
Time to link up your best projects, home improvements, recipes, and creative ideas!
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Monday, November 2, 2020
How to Make Outdoor Christmas Tree Decorations
For the last couple of Christmases, I’ve struggled to find something to go with two lighted Christmas dachshunds decorations we display outside because an odd number of decorations grouped together is more pleasing to the eye than an even number. Since I bought those dachunds to celebrate of all things Lacey, why not put our fake dogs where our real dog likes to be - snoozing under the Christmas tree. In fact, we usually keep a spot under the tree clear of presents so Lacey can lounge on the fancy blanket surrounding it (although you may call it a Christmas tree skirt.)
I went with a more modern Christmas tree design because I really wanted to show off what makes my DIY tree different – the ornament windows. Also I can’t draw a traditional Christmas tree shape for beans.
Quick and Easy DIY Outdoor Christmas Tree with Ornament Windows
Thursday, October 29, 2020
Quick and Easy DIY Sleep Mask Gift Idea and Friday Favorites Linky Party 553
The time change is this weekend. No matter how well I think I close my bedroom curtains, the early morning sunlight shoots through the curtains like a laser bean and directly into my eyes waking me up hours before my alarm is set to go off. I fight back by wearing a cute handmade sleep mask at night to thwart Mother Nature's attempts at shortening a good night's sleep.
I make sleep masks out of super soft flannel which is nice on the eyes. I've also made sleep masks from scrap cotton fabric that are comfortable to wear during the summer because they aren't hot like the unbreathable silky masks sold in stores. Sometimes I embellish them with embroidery. Most often I leave them plain to show off the fabric.
If you are looking for quick and easy handmade holiday gift ideas, follow my simple how to make a sleep mask tutorial here and make them for yourself or someone you love!
Time to link up your best projects, home improvements, recipes, and creative ideas!
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Sunday, October 25, 2020
18 Cozy Gift Ideas for the Whole Family
This year is like no other. Staying home and snuggling is in and large group activities are out. With that in mind, I created this gift giving idea guide for families, moms, dads, kids, and friends who are spending your time indoors and need a little self care, pampering, or indoor activities to keep you from going crazy!
100 Things to Do After Quarantine Interactive Poster this interactive poster gives 100 activity ideas with family and friends you can look forward to scratching off the list to reveal the artwork underneath. (Disclosure: I am including affiliate links for your convenience.)
Thursday, October 22, 2020
Friday Favorites Linky Party 552
Our family has been trying to get out to enjoy the colors of Fall in a socially distant way. We're lucky to have a lot of dog friendly trails to walk in our local metro parks. This park surprised us by having photo ready Fall displays that allowed us to give Lacey a little rest while also snapping a few photos.
Time to link up your best projects, home improvements, recipes, and creative ideas!
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Monday, October 19, 2020
How to Make Comfortable Padded Headphone Covers
I found a set of headphones with a microphone I forgot I had in that random box of cords you’re supposed to have when you hit 30. The foam ear covers where deteriorated but the microphone windscreen was fine. What good luck I thought! I don’t have to by a new pair! I used them for my next Zoom meeting.
Of which, the last half an hour was the longest of my life because the bare headphones hurt my ears. OW!
I went into my craft studio, gathered materials, popped on an audiobook (I use Audible. You can Try Audible and Get Two FREE Audiobooks here,) and started to play. In the end I had new cute and comfortable ear covers for my headphones. (Disclosure: I am including affiliate links in this post for your convenience.)
Let’ do this!
How to Make Replacement Headphone Covers
Thursday, October 15, 2020
Friday Favorites Linky Party 551
Please support and follow our lovely blog party hostesses:
Jerri at Simply Sweet Home - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst
Lisa at Condo Blues - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst
Amy at A Day of Small Things - Pin
Penny at Penny's Passion - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst
Jennifer at Busy Being Jennifer - Twitter | FB | Pin | Inst
If you are featured this week, be sure and grab a featured button for your blog!
You can show your love for this week's favorites by going over and commenting on the posts and by pinning or sharing!
And if you love all of this week's favorites, please pin, share, and invite your friends to this week's linky party!
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