Tis the Season to be Crafty McCrafterson

I have been ridiculously crafty this holiday season – I’m not quite sure what’s gotten into me. I guess I’ve been bitten by some sort of Christmas spirit that made me decide to make gifts for every single friend, and all my coworkers too.

It started when I ran into this DIY blog post on making handmade soaps, posted on A Beautiful Mess, but originally written by Sarah from Team Rhodes Weddings. They looked so pretty and fun, and I said to myself, “Hey! That’s easy enough to do,” which then led me to pretty much the most amazing store I’ve been to in Seattle – Zenith Supplies. I had no idea it existed before this, but I’m so glad I found it! It’s a huge building full of everything you could possibly need to make handmade soaps, body butter, lotion, candles, lip glosses, lip balm, massage oils – you name it. They have everything from containers for your homemade treasures, a library full of books on aromatherapy and recipes, and at least 100 scents to choose from for making your treats smell like a million bucks.

After much deliberation, I came home with a bottle of Sweetgrass and Cabernet Sauvignon scents, and two blocks of glycerin. Besides images for your soaps and milk cartons – that’s all you need to make these beauties! I decided to use magazine cutouts instead of drawing images like Sarah suggested. I also came across a bunch of oops and uh ohs that I’m going to share with you, so if you ever decide to take this project on too, you’ll learn from my mistakes.

Here’s my picture guide to making homemade soaps for Christmas gifts:

Rinse out your milk cartons, and start cutting out pictures from magazines that are slightly smaller than the bottom of the milk carton. (If you cut it the exact same size, the soap won’t seal around the image, and will break apart between the two halves. This was one of my many lessons).

This was my favorite part of the project – it was fun to hand select the images I thought fit my friends the most. High heels and Lois Vuitton bags for my fashionista girlfriends; music, mountains, roast beef and beer for my guy friends; glasses and bottles for my wino friends, etc. I tried to select images that fit each of my friends, to make the gift as personal as possible!

When you have all your images, cut your glycerin in manageable chunks and melt them over low-medium heat in a soup pot. Once they’re melted, add your oils.

I love this oil I picked up at a boutique in Seattle – it was way more expensive than the natural essential oils at Zenith, but how cute is the name, “Wiggle Remedy.” I love it! Maybe my guy friends will find themselves a bit more grounded this coming year. (Not that they aren’t already).

Pour the liquid soap in the milk carton, and add your image to the top. Here’s the tricky part – if the soap’s too hot, the image will curl up. Sarah mentioned using a spoon to push your image down, and to not let it float to the top. I actually had better luck with the image being just below the surface. Too low, and the image curled from the heat of the soap, but too high and the glycerin won’t cover the image. This is the most difficult part! I also didn’t make my soaps thick enough at first, so ended up having to add more glycerin to them after they froze. Make sure you’re pouring at least a good inch and a half to make nice-sized soaps.

Stick the milk carton in the freezer for quick setting, then here’s the coolest part – just repeat pouring the liquid soap right on top of the frozen ones. Stack them up to the top of the milk carton, then when you peel off the milk carton, you can just slice through the soaps easily with a kitchen knife!

Be careful when cutting – I had a number of the soaps come apart where each one was poured, and sometimes split where the image was (back to the not sealing part if your image is too big). You can trim them up, and worse comes to worse – I just used one of those candle torch lighters to remelt the glycerin and seal some of the pieces that popped off.

When you’re done, you have a beautiful set of personalized soaps to give away to your friends! I spent a little bit of money on magazines ($10), my supplies were $75 (although the Wiggle Remedy oil was $14, much more expensive than the standard $6 bottle of oil), and I spent about $20 on freakin’ milk cartons. I ended up making approximately 30 bars of soap, so it came out to roughly $3.50 a soap, and I gave most of my friends two soaps. Not too bad for a small, thoughtful Christmas gift idea!

Here’s a couple of my favorites:

(I ended up keeping the last one to myself. I think an old lady dressed like a munchkin and carrying a lollipop was just to weird to give anyone. Ha! Merry Christmas to me!).

And Merry Christmas to YOU, blog lovelies!

P.S. When I was done with the soap project, I whipped up a batch of my favorite, favorite caramel corn recipe I’ve been making for three years now. So easy, and really great to put in decorated bags and leave on your coworkers’ desks!

Currently Feeling: Terrible that I haven’t announced the winner of my Snuggie giveaway yet. I’ll do it this week, I swear!
Currently Anticipating: Pilates tomorrow at lunch! It’s been a great mix-up to my yoga routine.
Currently Loving: Teatro Zinzanni dinner theater in Seattle. I’ve always wanted to go, and finally did it Saturday night for a girls holiday party. It was the BEST thing I’ve been to in a loooong time! Stay tuned for my post about it this week.

All decorated

There might have been wine involved.

Currently Feeling: On fire! I got the rest I needed for a busy December – ready to hit holiday party season and my new project full force!
Currently Anticipating: Christmas shopping – I love picking out the perfect gifts for people.
Currently Loving: All the Christmas movies on TV. I just watched Scrooged! The Christmas Carol storyline never gets old…one of the best stories of our time!

From Fall to Winter

Fall has officially left the building – Seattle received her first winter snow a lot earlier than years gone past! We’re expecting to get one of the best ski seasons to date!

I took a “snow day” today and worked from home, cranking the heat, lighting candles, eating sweet potato pie leftovers from the Girlsgiving I hosted last night (pics coming soon), and watching the snow fall outside. When weather like this hits the city, I thank my lucky stars I have a warm place to hideout. Let’s take a minute to think about all the people who aren’t as lucky!

Currently Feeling: Excited for sledding in my neighborhood! I live off one of the biggest hills in the city, and during snowstorms everyone comes outside to play!
Currently Anticipating: My monthly Girls Who Dine Out at Rover’s tomorrow – a famous, Seattle french restaurant. Hopefully we can make it there in the snow.
Currently Loving: That so many people found my Kindle post useful – I’ll have to do a few more gadget reviews here. I’m full of them!

Humanity For All

A couple weekends ago, I went to the Ballard Farmers Market with my mom and stopped into a cute little salon boutique in Ballard called Duque. They have a fabulous selection of jewelry, makeup and other items perfect for treating yourself or picking up gifts. My eye went straight away to a few bracelets they had displayed on the front table and fell.in.love. This beauty came home with me immediately, and since, I’ve had a ton of compliments on it:

It’s a leather, silver-stamped, Swarovski crystal bracelet from HumanityForAll.com that wraps around your arm and displays a message of humanitarianism, focusing on social justice and the environment. The designer is a woman from L.A., and the brand, particularly this bracelet, has been popular with celebrities.

Celebrity aside, I love the message. When unwrapped, it reads:

Plant peace. Live in unity. Make a differene. Accept diversity. Speak kindness. Pave the path. Lead the way. Humanity. Give back. Seek wisdom. Come together. Truth. Forgive. Believe. Faith. Sow Love. Humanity. Make a difference.

It’s the best message to have wrapped around my wrist, in a daily reminder to be the best human I can be.

If you want one, head over to Duque (they’re on back order until three weeks from now) or pick one of the select colors available on the Web site. (They’re only $24 and make the best gift for birthdays or Christmas – every time someone wraps it around their wrist, they’ll think of you!)

Currently Feeling: So relieved I stayed in tonight to rest up and work on a ton of things I needed to do. Feels great to be responsible sometimes on the weekend.
Currently Anticipating: Meeting up with the fam in the morning before my sister heads back to college, and hitting up a hot yoga class in the afternoon. Low-key Sunday.
Currently Wanting: Another new blog redesign. I know, I’m crazy about changing things up all the time, guys. But I just feel this one is a little too dark. I want something a bit more clean, so expect some changes soon!

Rawr

I checked another item off my buck list tonight…I bought myself a set of satin sheets. I know this is a random thing to have on a bucket list…but I’ve always wanted to try to step up the luxury, so to speak.

Not only are my sheets now satin, they’re zebra print satin. (With a hot pink duvet on top, of course). Rawr.

Stella is NOT a fan. I think the design is totally bugging her eyes out. While I was putting them on my bed, she was spinning in circles and looking crazy eyed like when I dump cat nip all over the carpet. I wish I could have caught it on video, but alas, this photo l will have to do.

Hopefully these sheets won’t have to same effect on certain *ahem* other visitors.

Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary

How does your garden grow?

Yesterday I went to the Ballard Sunday Farmer’s Market with my family as part of our Mother’s Day adventures. Usually, we’re partial to the Fremont Sunday Market, which is a regular agenda for our family days. However, we decided to mix it up, and thank God for that. The Ballard market is amazing - full of organic fruit, homemade pies, ice cream bars, soaps, chocolate sauces and salsa, cheese and meat from local, grass-fed animals, funky jewelry, scarves, hats and more. It was a feast for all senses.

The many booths of organic herb and vegetable plants inspired me to finally start that urban garden that’s been on my bucket list, and all the veggies available to buy were my oyster. I decided on lettuce, chives, green peppers, jalapenos, tomatoes, basil, strawberries and a Stevia plan (natural sweetener – like Splenda, but better). I handpicked each of my plants and packed them up with love, excited to give them a home in planters on my patio.

And then it became a family affair – my mom helped me select pots, soil and such (being the gardener of the family), my dad lugged up the 10-pound sacks of soil and filled the pots, and my mom and I planted them together. It was a veggie growing party with a side of wine and cheese. (I didn’t realize my little urban veggie garden was going to cost $100 after all the plant purchasing, soil purchasing and pots purchasing was said and done with. Whoopsie. That’s where the wine came in).

Even my curious little kitty, Stella, wanted to get involved… I think she approves. I’m just kicking myself for not picking up a catnip plant (I think I’ll have to make a quick trip back to the store).

And finally… what I’m most excited for – new recipes and dinners made with my fresh herbs and veggies, paired with a glass of wine.

Ahhhh – welcome spring.

How did you spend your Mother’s Day?

Currently Feeling: Healthy! Last week was full of great salads, fresh dinners and lots of working out. Glad to be back on track.
Currently Anticipating: A week full of fun exercise classes, and events, including the Girls in Tech launch party this Thursday and a kickball double header!
Currently Reading: “The Little Stranger” by Sarah Walters.

I’s be an online shopping Queen

“I wish I had style”

That’s what my best friend said when I showed her my totally awesome new wall decal for the living room (I previously had a terrible, cheap IKEA frame with generic IKEA flower postcard images in it that I was just dying to upgrade).

What I say to that – Woman! This doesn’t take style. This just take entering your card number in on the worldwide Interwebs. I online shop like a Queen.

That being said, I’m obsessed with these wall decals you can find all over Etsy. (24,000 of them, to be exact). Some of them are just.magnificent. And expensive. I posted last July about how I purchased a Keep Calm and Carry On wall decal for my bedroom, which I love waking up to every morning. I think it’s a perfect way to start my day. In fact, I’m a bit in love with the phrase, which is also my iPhone screensaver.

Anywhoosit. I bought one for my living room too, which I think looks quite nice, don’t you? But better than a crappy IKEA frame.

Currently Feeling: Blech after two weeks off Sassy Fit. I’m ready to bring on the May bootcamp!
Currently Anticipating: Memorial Day weekend in Lake Chelan at a house with 12 friends! Awesome. Bathing suit season and summer is upon us!
Currently Loving: That we all rallied to switch out the unhealthy food with healthy food at work – gone are Doritos, cookies and Frosted Flakes. Hello organic cookies, almonds, fruit and yogurt. Much better for my figure.

Because the tea steamed in front of me

A couple months ago I started reading a blog called Hello Vodka, It’s Me… Kassy. The title immediately grabbed me – vodka is by far my only liquor of choice for a night out. Tequila = puke my brains out. Too many memories from trips to Mexico. Rum = yuck, yuck, double yuck. And, I’m not even going to mention how I feel about whiskey. Anyhoo, this post is about poetry, not alcohol, I swear. Kassy is a super cute blogger with an obsession for shoes, fashion, food… I like her stuff. But the coolest thing is that she’s a POET. (A Master’s I believe). You don’t meet too many poets, let alone cute female poets. In her recent post, she referenced a poem she wrote that was published, and I loved it so much; I wanted to share it here with you. (Not to mention, I’m buying those boots immediately. Um, a hidden heel?! Yes please!) Check her out!

Because the tea steamed in front of me

by Kassy Scrivner

A woman talking to her ex-lover on the phone
To a voice she has loved, has hated, has feared.
She has worshiped every modulation, its tone. The silence.
She studies, out the window, the thin shapes
of trees. The kind that grow everywhere in the desert, that
withstand the haboob. The desert monsoon’s arched chambers
of deep blue, tiny earthen walls, something bedded in the skies.
A wish descending, air, funnel or cloud,
lovers or vegetation in the sweet scent of the orangery.
Outside, dawning sky, tangled vines, a long bitter history, and rain.

Currently Feeling: Super pumped after pushing myself through a strenuous run this AM. Thanks for being my inspiration to push myself, Kristen.
Currently Anticipating: The 100th feed reader! We’re only three away folks, then I’m choosing one of you to receive a special package of my favorite things, since that’s what the majority of you voted for in my poll.
Currently Hating: A picture that was recently taken of me at an event – I look like I heifer! I’m cutting it out and posting it on my bathroom mirror for running inspiration.

Excuse me while I kiss the sky

A couple weekends ago, I went on a trip to Orcas Island in the San Juans Islands. I went there last year with Baby Daddy, and we just loved the place so much, we went again this year. For those of you who are local and pay attention to my Washington-focused food, wine and camping blog, you’ve probably seen my post about Orcas Island already. But, I just wanted to share a few of the sunset pics that I took while there for the readers here.

I have always been a lover of the sun. Always. Sometimes I wonder why the hec I can’t be like all the other Seattlelites who rave about the grey and clouds – some people here live for that weather. Me, I live for the three, sometimes four, months a year we get sunshine. But my trip to Orcas made me realize that as much as I love the sun, I love watching it set just as much.

When I was little, my mom used to tell me that a sunset happened when the Angels were baking cookies. While it’s not my MO to be all religious, I still like to think of Angels baking cookies each night the sun sinks down behind the clouds and glowing oranges spread out over the sky. For some reason, it still comforts me just as it did when I was a little girl.

Shadows just look so much better in the glow of a sunset – holding hands is that much more romantic – night is less depressing and scary – and the thought that you get to wake up again tomorrow and watch the sunset all over again just makes it great to be alive.

[all photos taken on my Nikon COOLPIX P90, on loan for the Nikon Coolpix Circle]

Where’s the best sunset you’ve ever seen?

Currently Feeling: Sleepy after a night out on the town with my twin besties from high school (one lives in San Diego and is in town for the week)!
Currently Anticipating: The Flaming Lips concert tomorrow and one of my bestie’s wedding barbecue wedding reception on Saturday. (The one who got married in Mexico in April).
Currently Loving: That I’ve had a former college acquaintance AND a former coworker move into my building! How fun! I’ve never had girls I’ve known in my building before… lots of girly wine nights on patios and realty TV parties in my future.

On decorating in pink…

As most of you know, I’m in a LTR. If you’re like me, and you had no idea what that little acronym meant until about a year ago, I’ll let you in on the little secret – it’s Long Term Relationship. (Woowee. How exciting!) I’ve been in my LTR for nearly two years now. EEEKK. Really, that just scares the bejesus out of me. Am I the only one who feels like their life is flying by at warped speed? Before I know it, I’ll be writing some sappy, long post about turning 30. (Puke in my cereal. What? Why yes, it’s past noon, and I’m eating cereal. Don’t judge).

In a LTR relationship at 27, most people have already moved in together or are talking about it in the very near future as their “next step.” Not me and Baby Daddy though; no sirree. We’re on a slow path (or something). There are a few personal reasons why moving in together isn’t in our very near future, but I’ll tell you my favorite part of holding out on living with a boyfriend (besides that I get to sneak away from him whenever I want and do super single behavior in the comfort of my own home like watching trashy reality TV and perusing the Internet while reading US Weekly on commercial breaks and painting my toenails. What can I say; I’m an excellent multi-tasker). One of the very tip top reasons is that I still get to decorate in PINK. Hot pink to be exact.

See, when you move in with someone, you have to give up girly decorating and be all adult or something. Think about all the couples you know who live together – I bet their bedroom or living room is light blue and brown. What is it about that combo that is so conventional couples bedroom? I mean it’s a lovely pairing; I’m not knocking it – I just don’t want to give up decorating in PINK and butterflies just yet. My room is so girly it’s almost comical to see my boyfriend sleeping on my pink sheets.

How much do you love that wall cling that I posted about buying a month ago?

To me, there’s nothing more pretty and lovely, and the best to wake up to, than hot pink and butterflies… perhaps with a hint of orange, yellow and turquoise. What can I say, I love to live a life on COLOR like my girl Lily.

Yes, this is the Ikea mirror that everyone and their mother has – the butterflies are a hanging glitter butterfly garland, that I found at one of my favorite stores in Seattle, Fireworks Gallery

Atop my desk sits a crepe flower I bought at a Fremont Sunday Market,
and the framed print I bought, handmade from Etsy of course!

Some of these handmade, handpicked items are so special to me – what am I supposed to do? Just toss them aside, gift them, give them away at a garage sale? It will be a sad day when I have to let go of my hot pink crepe flower (that is literally nearly three feet tall) or my strand of glitter butterfly garland. I mean, no girly room is complete without it. And even worse than getting rid of these will be hiding all my fashionista crap that I’ve accumulated through the years. When you live with a boy, is it appropriate to…

Display your 100+ hanging earrings & necklaces on the wall as if
they were art? (Psst. I bought this handmade jewelry holder at an art fair for $25).

Or your scarves, hats and 20+ purses of the moment (20+ more in a plastic storage
bin under the bed)? (Psst. That little hot pink phrase wall cling came as an
EXTRA bonus with my “Keep Calm and Carry On.” Don’t cha love it?!)

Or have a ridiculously large storage bin of make-up
(lip gloss drawer shown here) on a table for ease of use?

No. It’s not. And I tell yah what, I love my boyfriend, but currently I love my hot pink and butterfly Princess girly fashionista bedroom just a little bit more. Me, brown and light blue might be friends someday, but for now I’m going to enjoy every dang minute of waking up in my hot pink sheets, sometimes alone if I want to be.

What are you going to be reluctant to give up when you move
in with a boy? And if you already live with your boyfriend or
husband, what do you miss the most about not cohabiting?

Currently Feeling: In love with Rilo Kiley, Pandora, my time, the sun again in Seattle and life in general.
Currently Anticipating: Getting through this busy week – I feel like I’m even more busy unemployed than I was when I worked every day!
Currently Loving: Lucerne rootbeer float ice cream bars – only 100 calories!