DIY Plastic Spoon Garden Markers
I love gifts that are handmade, useful, cute, and CHEAP! This Plastic Spoon Garden Markers tutorial is written to look just like their spoons, but it would also be very cute to use kids’ decorations and handwriting – for a gift for grandparents or parents, it would mean more that way. If you don’t have little ones handy, just follow the tutorial below. For visuals, click the link above.
What You’ll Need:
- 4 white plastic spoons
- Multi-Surface Satin paint in Gray, Brown, plus 4 others in your choice of colors (Note: You can use any type of paint if you choose to use clear top coat spray instead)
- Sandpaper
- Paintbrush
- Toothpick
- Fine point black art pen
- Clear enamel top coat spray (MUST for regular paint, or Optional: To seal in finished paint for the multi-surface)
Directions:
- Sand each spoon to knock off the shine. This will make the spoon easier to paint.
- Paint each spoon with a thin coat of paint, leaving the bottom 2″ of the handles unpainted. This is where the spoon will go into the ground.
- When dry, paint a second coat and allow to dry completely.
- Use art pen to write herb names on the spoons.
- Use a toothpick to dot on designs using the gray and brown paints.
- Spray with top coat sealing spray on both sides and all areas of the spoon, paying special attention to the deeper parts and painted areas. Allow to dry for an hour, then spray again.
- Let these dry for a full 48 hours before exposing to the outdoor elements.
DIY Embellished Flip-Flops Tutorial
Take your plain, cheap rubber flip-flops and embellish them yourself with this tutorial from Martha Stewart. It’s super inexpensive and only takes a few minutes.
What You’ll Need:
- Plain rubber flip-flops
- Seam binding or regular ribbon in color of your choice (seam binding works best)
- Scissors
- Fabri-tac fabric permanent glue (or other brand, but this one is the best)
- Trim and embellishments
Directions:
- Cut about a yard of seam binding, and wrap around one side of the Y-shaped flip-flop strap, starting from the back and working up to the toe. Secure seam binding at beginning and end with glue. Repeat on the other side of the Y.
- Glue desired embellishments onto wrapped strap.
- Repeat these steps on the second flip-flop.
- Allow to fully dry before wearing and show off your new fancy flippies!
Preserve your Herbs
Often times you buy a big bundle of dill or rosemary, but only use up a little bit of it for the one recipe you were making. Now, here is a great way to preserve all those extra herbs you have and make your money go a little bit further!
8 Steps for Freezing Herbs in Oil
- Choose firm, fresh herbs, ideally directly from the market or your own garden.
- If you wish, you can chop them fine. Or leave them in larger sprigs and leaves.
- Pack the ice cube trays about 2/3 full of herbs.
- You can mix up the herbs, too; think about freezing a bouquet of sage, thyme, and rosemary to add to winter roast chickens and potatoes!
- Pour extra-virgin olive oil or melted, unsalted butter over the herbs.
- Cover lightly with plastic wrap and freeze overnight.
- Remove the frozen cubes and store in freezer containers or small bags.
- Don’t forget to label each container or bag with the type of herb (and oil) inside!
Enjoy!
DIY Chocolate Mint Body Butter
While on Pinterest the other day, I stumbled across this amazing recipe for a DIY Chocolate Mint Body Butter. I sounded like an amazing experiment I once got a container of this for a gift and know that it cost nearly $15 for a small container. This one is a little cheaper to make and you get so much more for your money. Plus you can make it with more organic/chemical free ingredients. The main recipe came from a website called mommypotamus.com. I also found another one (there was no credit on that one) and have sort of combined the two to get the best effect.
- 1/2 cup of cocoa butter (it’s listed as cacao butter sometimes.)
- 1/2 cup mango or shea butter (you can also substitute another 1/2 cup cocoa butter. It will be a little less “light” when whipped up, but it was really amazing…especially for dry skin.)
- 1/2 cup coconut oil
- 1/2 cup of jojoba or a mild olive oil. I used olive oil and that gave outstanding results and was my favorite.
- 1-2 teaspoons peppermint essential oil (the more you add the stronger the mint scent)
- 1 1/2 tablespoons pure cocoa powder (if you would prefer a “white chocolate” version that is not a bronzer, substitute arrowroot powder or non-GMO cornstarch)
- 2 teaspoons naturally derived vitamin E (optional). I pierced some vitamin E capsules and it worked well!
How To Make Whipped Body Butter:
- Prepare an ice bath by filling a large bowl with ice and fitting a smaller bowl inside. The inside bowl needs to be able to hold at least 4-5 cups of liquid. Glass works better than metal.
- Using a double boiler or a pot of boiling water with a smaller pot fitted inside, melt cocoa butter and mango butter over a low simmer. This will prevent it from scalding.
- Add coconut oil and melt until completely liquid.
- Remove cocoa butter/coconut oil mixture from heat.
- Measure 5 teaspoons of cocoa powder into a small bowl and gradually add several tablespoons of jojoba/almond/olive oil. Mix thoroughly and then add to cocoa butter/coconut oil mixture along with remaining jojoba/almond/olive oil.
- Place mixture in chilled bowl (which should still be resting above the ice bowl) and allow to cool for 10-20 minutes.
- Remove mixture from ice bath and whip very well until stiff peaks form. If after a few minutes it does not seem to be thickening return the bowl to the ice bath and whip there.
- Store in an airtight jar – Keep out of sunlight to prevent oxidation. I keep mine in the cupboard a.k.a cool dry place.
- You will also want to store it in a cool place. If your bathroom gets warm, it’s not the place to keep this.
Easy Homemade 3-Ingredient Vanilla Coconut Body Scrub
This time of the year, our skin is so dry and flaky. Why spend $30 or more on a body scrub from The Body Shop or other retailer when you can make it at home with only 3 ingredients for pennies and in only a couple of minutes. Oh, and it smells like summer. BLISS!
What You’ll Need:
- 1/2 cup solid coconut oil
- 1 cup white sugar
- Seeds from 1 vanilla pod
Directions:
- Use your whisk attachment on your mixer and whip 1/2 cup solid coconut oil for about 10 minutes. Be sure to stop to scrape down the sides after 5 minutes.
- Add 1 cup white sugar and the seeds from 1 vanilla pod. Mix for another 1-2 minutes.
- Transfer to an air tight container until ready for use.
Smells so good! You’ll love it. Thanks to Wonky Wonderful for the recipe!