162. So Simple: DIY Sugar Scrub

 

I cannot overemphasize the importance of exfoliation.  I think there are more technical issues about sloughing off dead skin cells etc., but what I focus on is that it makes my skin feel better.  I really notice it on my hands the most, and I have tried to teach Tanpo about the virtues of exfoliating and moisturizing the hands, but I don’t think it has taken root.  Sigh.  It goes both ways, see.  He makes me do stuff and I (try) to make him do stuff.

Walking the loop – us doing stuff

So I keep bottles of hand scrub from Lt Cmmdr. R next to my bathroom sink upstairs and downstairs and in a pinch I have been known to rub apricot facial scrub on my hands and feet, but no more.  I saw a “recipe” for a hand scrub at onegoodthingbyjillee.com and tried it and it really is so simple!  It feels great, too.

The original calls for dishwashing liquid, which is good since you probably already have this in your house.  Jill used a pretty pink Dawn, but we use the classic green Palmolive (look Madge, I soaked…).  I ended up using some citrus body wash (Kirkland/Costco, moisturizing), and the result was lovely, so this would be a great way to use up any soap/body wash you’ve got languishing in the cabinet or on your countertop.  I’ve got it pictured in a jar, but that’s only because I couldn’t find an extra pump bottle to store mine in.  I think a pump would be most convenient for this sort of thing.  When I find one I’ll transfer my sugar scrub and keep it next to the kitchen sink.

Here are the instructions:  Gardener’s Hand Scrub from onegoodthingbyjillee.com

Here’s another amazingly simple and pretty project:

155.  Candle Wrap

 

155. So Simple: Candle Wrap

I decided to do a series.  I have long been sad about not seeing my apartment or the majority of my belongings again.  We went to the Container store today and I spent an inordinately long time holding a magnetic spice box (the circular kind you stick on your fridge) since I had a set of those on the side of my fridge in OR and it was the first time I had thought about them.  I used to buy little bags of spices from Winco’s bulk section to refill my containers – peppercorns, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger – simple stuff.

Anyway, it will be nice to be in a position to buy things like that again, but in the meantime I’m tired of waiting and am going to start crafting because my friends pin all these interesting DIY craft projects and I wanna play!  So I’m calling this series “So Simple” and about once a week I’ll post a craft or a recipe I found online that I was able to do.  I have no idea how long this series will last – especially since I tire easily. The point is that if I, the girl who is all kinds of disabled, can do this, so can you – so don’t be intimidated, just dive in!

First up:  a simple candle wrap from Crafted in Carhartt.  I own no Carhartt clothing.  In fact, I had to Google them to find out that they are a manufacturer of work clothing – although I must point out that a lot of their stuff is lookin’ awfully cute for work wear.  They recently featured a DIY Paper Lantern that looked feasible for me, so I tried to make my own.  We didn’t have any vellum in the house, so I used parchment paper and it worked well.  I also used a flameless candle since I don’t think I’m supposed to be using matches, and since I was using parchment paper, it helped to wrap the paper around the pillar, otherwise the paper wouldn’t have been stiff enough.  The majority of the pillar is illuminated, which makes a nice effect – not sure if this is standard for flameless candles, but it helped that we had one like this in the house already.  I “borrowed” it from a table in the hallway.

Finally, I decided that I am not overly enthused by my handwriting right now.  It has improved vastly since I woke up, but I am still happier using my computer to do things like this for me.  So I printed my own candle wrap on pretty scrapbooking paper I found in the desk drawer and used free fonts from Kevin & Amanda – Fonts for Peas. Note:  if you like your handwriting, you can just write or draw your own like the CinC original.  If you do this you don’t have to fire up any technology, which might be your preference.  Plus if you handwrite everything it’s very personal and nice.

Candle Wrap Template || Ann Ning Learning How

If you’d like to print one, I made you a convenient template (linked above).  Sorry, I forgot to measure my candle.  But the template is 6 x 9 – I didn’t know if this would work.  I just eyeballed it and it did!  But if you’d like to make your own…

1)    In Word, adjust margins to X x X

2)    Add a border if you like – top and bottom only

3)    Add your quote

4)    Add emphasis in a contrasting font to important words

5)    Print on light colored, perhaps tonal, scrapbook paper

6)    Use a colored pencil to emphasize even more words (e.g. I drew a heart over the word “heart.”)

7)    Cut it out and tape it to your candle, using the border to help you get it straight.

8)    Trim with ribbon if you like

Look – it’s Rosie the Riveter!

94. Olympic Calm

To the Authors of any Crafts/Recipes I reference on this blog:  I’ve tried to properly cite and link as appropriate – my intention is to definitely give credit where credit is due.  If I’ve made significant changes I’ll list the instructions/recipe, otherwise, I’ll link directly to you.  If, however, you have any concerns with how I’ve used your ideas, kindly contact me at annninglearninghow@gmail.com  and I will address the issue immediately, no questions asked.  Thank you for the inspiration!