Food Fun Family

St. Patrick’s Day Lucky Rustic Wall Hanging: A Paint Stick Craft

Lolli — Fri, 12 Feb 2016 06:00:24 +0000

Looking for a paint stick craft for St. Patrick’s Day? It’s your LUCKY day!

Way back in December, a friend of mine gave me a bunch of paint sticks – you know the 12-inch paint stirrers you can get by the handful in the pain section of your local hardware store? She had picked up more than she needed for a craft she was doing for Christmas, and didn’t want to hold on to them any more, so she passed them on to me. It took me 2 months to figure out a project to use them on, and even then I really struggled to figure out how to make something I liked. This project went through several stages, but once I looped my husband into the madness and we were able to brainstorm together it all came together, and I was so happy with how it turned out.

How to make a rustic wall hanging paint stick craft for St. Patrick’s Day

OK, I fear that I’m not going to explain these steps very well, but I assure you – this project is SO easy! It basically consists of painting the sticks, weaving them together with twine and gluing the letters on top of the sticks. Seriously easy (for some reason, writing out the steps made it seem so much more complicated than it is!

Before I start with the steps, I have to tell you the crazy process I went through to figure out how I wanted my final product to look. I tried several different designs (starting out with a wall hanging that was 12 paint sticks tall, drawing a message on one of the sticks with a Sharpie, cutting out a cute shamrock, and more) but it finally came together when my husband and I played around with the supplies that I had on hand.

Here’s what you need to get started (most of these supplies were things we had on hand. PS – I used Amazon affiliate links to link to some of the products below):

1′ x 12′ paint sticks (I used 8 in my finished project, but you can make your sign any size)
Green acrylic paint – I mixed colors (see my notes in the post)
Paint brush (I used a foam sponge brush
Twine (I used two 25′ pieces of twine)
Wooden craft letters: L-U-C-K-Y
Hot glue gun and glue sticks
Fine sand paper

Note: It’s important for the design of this project that you use paint stirrers that have the groove on one side (kind of like a handle). The alternating groove helps the twine have somewhere to rest and hold it all together.

Ready to see how you go from this….

…to the finished craft? Continue reading to see the step-by-step instructions (including printable instructions):

Dark Chocolate Granola

Lolli — Thu, 14 Jan 2016 06:00:21 +0000

I got totally hooked on making my own granola during the fall when I made the MOST AMAZING chewy cinnamon raisin granola bars and then a short time later I made TRULY ADDICTING pumpkin seed granola. Where has homemade granola been all my life?!

When I was brainstorming what I wanted to make for a Valentine’s Day post, I felt like trying for something on the healthy side. Or at least healthier than, say the Peanut Butter Cup and Oreo Layered Dessert that has been doing so well since the beginning of the month (you think people are trying to eat healthy for the New Year? According to my blog stats, they’re NOT). Anyway, back to the recipe brainstorming. I wanted to make something that was a little healthier AND that had dark chocolate, and I thought I’d try making my basic granola recipe with cocoa and dark chocolate chips to see how it turned out.

Let’s just say that I was totally blown away. First of all. Prepare for your house to smell like HEAVEN. And then get your taste buds ready. Wow. This is not too sweet, but it still feels totally indulgent. It certainly satisfies my chocolate cravings, but I’m happy because I’m actually getting some nutrients in with my chocolate fix (you know, as opposed to just popping a handful of dark chocolate chips straight in my mouth…).

Bottom line: whether you make this for a special Valentine or for a just-for-you treat anytime, you need to make this.

You can thank me later.

Dark Chocolate Granola with Cranberries

Yum

Dark Chocolate Granola

Ingredients

3 cups old fashioned oats
1 cup pecans, chopped
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 heaping tablespoons flaxseed meal
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1/3 cup honey
3 tablespoons coconut oil
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
1/3 cup dried cranberries

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350° degrees.
Mix oats, chopped pecans, brown sugar, cinnamon, cocoa powder, and salt in a medium bowl; stir to combine.
In a small microwaveable bowl, heat honey and coconut oil on medium heat for 40-60 seconds. Stir in vanilla extract.
Pour the hot honey mixture over the oat and nuts mixture, and stir so that the dry ingredients are evenly coated with the wet ingredients.
Spread the granola mixture evenly onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or a Silpat baking mat.
Bake the oats at 350° for about 5 minutes; stir. Bake for another 5-7 minutes.
After granola has completely cooled, break it into pieces and stir in chocolate chips and cranberries. Store in an airtight container.

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Happy Valentine’s Day!

For more Valentine’s Day ideas, visit a few of my favorite bloggers:

How to Make Rose Water by Confessions of an Overworked Mom
A Valentine’s Day Breakfast by The Guavalicious Life
Salted Caramels by How Was Your Day?
Valentine’s Day Krispies Treats by This Mama Loves
Homemade Strawberry Syrup for Flavorful Delights by Day by Day in Our World
Pom Pom Valentine’s Day Craft for Kids by Our Family World
French Vanilla Raspberry Italian Cream Soda by Pretty Opinionated
Epsom Salts DIY Valentine’s Candles by A Day in Motherhood
Chocolate Honey Lip Scrub by The Socialite’s Closet
Hugs and Kisses Valentine’s Cupcakes by Simply Southern Mom
Printable Valentine’s Day Scavenger Hunt by Mom on the Side
Box of Chocolates Cake by Kids Fun Reviewed
Cranberry Hootycreek – Valentine’s Day Cookies by MommaDJane
Valentine’s Day “Love Lives Here” Decorative House Craft by Sincerely Mindy
Hand Sewn Valentine Cards by Beyond Mommying
No Bake Choco-Date Cookies for Valentine’s Day by Mommy Snippets
DIY Heart Stamp for Kids by Family Focus Blog
DIY Peppermint Chocolate Bark Favors by A Bride on a Budget
Day Out With Daddy Jar by Sweet Lil You
No Sew Fringed Scarf for Him – or Her! by Style on Main
Strawberry Shortcake in a Jar by 2Boys+1Girl=OneCrazyMom
Valentine’s Day Oreo Hearts by Gator Mommy Reviews

Easy DIY Ginger White Tea Cocoa Butter Soap

Lolli — Sun, 20 Dec 2015 06:00:24 +0000

Learn how to make this easy DIY Ginger White Tea Cocoa Butter Soap with just 3 simple ingredients!

During this past year, I discovered how easy and rewarding it is to make my own skin care products. When I was talking with my sister months ago, she mentioned that she had a favorite lotion that had white tea and ginger, and so when I was at Trader Joe’s a few weeks after our conversation and stumbled upon Organic Ginger Pear White Tea, I decided that I had to buy a box and see what I could make with it. That box of tea has been sitting in my bedroom waiting for months, but I finally got around to making my first bath and body product with it.

It smells so heavenly…and after reading about the benefits of both white tea and ginger essential oils, I couldn’t wait to start using it!

Please note that affiliate links are used in this post. I appreciate your support!

This soap couldn’t be easier to make because it uses a melt and pour soap base (in other words, you can skip the complicated part of soap making and simply enjoy the process of making your own, beautiful, fragrant soaps).

Homemade soaps make amazing gifts! So if you’re looking for a last-minute holiday gift or you simply want something to soothe your dry winter skin, then this soap is a perfect project. With just a few minutes of work, you can make your own unique soap.

Benefits of Ginger:

Here are a few things that ginger essential oils can do:

Helps reduce mental fatigue
Eases motion sickness, colds, achy muscles and migraines
Aids poor circulation
Boosts the immune system
Remedy for seasonal affective disorder
Effective digestive aid
Soothes the respiratory system.
Antioxidant properties may reduce premature aging

Benefits of White Tea in Skin Care

I am personally not a tea drinker, so I was excited to learn that white tea’s incredible antioxidant benefits could be enjoyed with topical use. Here are just a few of the things that I read about the benefits of white tea:

Helps maintain healthy and youthful skin and reduces wrinkles
Aids in quick repair and recovery of damaged skin
Protects skin against effects of UV light
Reduces risk of cancer and rheumatoid arthritis

Please note: the above information was found through my reading about both white tea and ginger essential oils, but should not be mistaken for medical advice. I am an independent distributor of Young Living essential oils, not a doctor or medical professional. Please do your own research and talk to your doctor with questions. If you have questions about essential oils, feel free to send me a message!

Get the instructions to make this homemade soap HERE:

Winter Wonderland Peppermint Playdough

Jody — Fri, 20 Nov 2015 06:00:25 +0000

Nothing keeps little ones busy and works on fine motor development like playdough. Make your own, add some delicious holiday scent and a little sparkle to really put it over the top with your kids! Peppermint adds a fresh new aspect to homemade playdough and involves yet another of your child’s senses in on the fun. Set out playdough with rollers, cookie cutters, craft sticks, stamps, etc. to make the fun last even longer and open up their creativity. This would be perfect for winter themed parties, Frozen play time, or anytime for scented play. Note: affiliate links used within this post.

Winter Wonderland Peppermint Playdough

Author: Jody

Ingredients

1 cup all purpose flour
½ cup salt
1 cup water
1 teaspoon vegetable oil or coconut oil
2 teaspoon cream of tartar
5-8 drops peppermint essential oil (or 1 teaspoon peppermint extract)
glitter

Instructions

Heat water in microwave for 2 minutes.
Combine flour, salt, hot water, vegetable oil, and cream of tartar in a large bowl until well combined and mixture begins to cool.
Add peppermint and glitter to the amounts you prefer, remove from bowl and knead on counter for 2 to 3 minutes.
Store in an airtight container, mine usually lasts several months.
If it begins to dry out just add a bit of oil.

This play dough also makes a great homemade gift idea for any little ones in your life. Put it in a pretty jar and tie on a cookie cutter for a sweet handmade gift they will love.

Homemade playdough is so easy to make, and so fun to play with. Make a few batches and add a few drops of food coloring so you’ve got several different colors for some hands-on indoor winter fun!

Here are some visual instructions:

Heat, mix and knead…

Add some sparkles…

Squish, roll, shape, and have FUN!

For more Christmas and winter ideas, visit a few of my favorite bloggers:

Cranberry Stove Top Potpourri Recipe by Confessions of an Overworked Mom
Christmas Practice Writing Sheets by A Mom’s Take
Red Velvet Cookies with Cream Cheese Drizzle by Mom Does It All
Christmas in a Jar by 2Boys+1Girl=OneCrazyMom
Ornament Christmas Tree Picture by Simply Southern Mom
Easy Challah Bread Rolls from Your Bread Machine by Day By Dy In Our World
DIY Christmas Mouse Ornaments by Blessed Elements
Homemade Cinnamon Snowflake Ornament by MommaDJane
Graham Cracker Reindeer by This Mama Loves
DIY Glittered Christmas Ornaments by How Was Your Day?
Peppermint Bath Salts by Style on Main
DIY Advent Calendar by Upstate Ramblings
Cream Cheese Biscuit Puffs by Jennifer Sikora

Thanksgiving Craft: {Give Thanks} Wooden Blocks

Lolli — Tue, 20 Oct 2015 05:00:05 +0000

One of my goals for this new school year was to make more crafts….and so far I have failed miserably. I love to be crafty, even though I am not the most talented crafter out there. But despite my lack of talent in the crafting department, I do enjoy being creative. It’s therapeutic for me. Somehow, though, I’ve let my busy-ness take over and I haven’t made time in my schedule for crafts.

When I noticed that it was time for another Creative Hop challenge, I knew that I could easily come up with a Thanksgiving/Fall-related recipe, but I really WANTED to figure out a unique craft to make. I ended up heading to Michael’s for some inspiration. I gathered a few supplies with a general picture of what I wanted to create in mind….and then spent most of the rest of the day with a huge mess spread out over my kitchen table.

I love the end result! They’re a festive reminder to give thanks all season long.

Note: I’ve linked below to the supplies on Amazon. These are affiliate links. It doesn’t cost you anything extra, but if you make a purchase through one of my links, I could earn a quarter!

Supplies Needed:

{10} 2 x 2 inch unfinished wood blocks
Wood craft letters (smaller than 2 x 2 inch)
Fall-themed colored paper (6 different prints/colors), cut into 1 3/4-inch squares
Sand paper
Mod podge
Foam brush
Tacky glue
Buttons, optional
Felt fall leaf stickers, optional
Wax paper

Instructions:

Sand all edges of the wood blocks so they’re smooth.

Place wood blocks on a large sheet of wax paper. Working one colored paper at a time, spread each of the 10 wood blocks with an even coating of mod podge and press a colored paper square onto the wet mod podge. Rotate each block in the same direction (ie, flip blocks over one turn to the right) and repeat with a new color of paper. Repeat, adding a new color to all empty sides of the squares. If you have time, I recommend that you glue a few papers down and then let dry instead of trying to do all 6 sides at once. I didn’t wait and it got a little messy.

Once the blocks are dry, generously but evenly spread mod podge over the side where you would like to place your letter. Note: I like to mix up the sides that I put my letters. I laid out the plan before I started gluing anything down.

Spread mod podge generously and evenly over each of the remaining sides, letting sides dry between applications as needed.

Add buttons to the top squares of the G – I – V – E blocks (note: do not add buttons to the tops of the T – H – A – N – K – S blocks as you won’t be able to stack the blocks if you do). Add leaf stickers to the back sides (opposite the wood letters).

Display and enjoy the seasonal reminder to Give Thanks!

For more Thanksgiving and fall recipes and crafts, visit a few of my favorite bloggers:

Hot Spiced Cranberry Cider by Confessions of an Overworked Mom
Coconut Cream Pie Recipe by A Mom’s Take
Slow Cooker Green Bean Casserole by Mom Does It All
Pumpkin Lebkuchen Donuts by 2Boys+1Girl=OneCrazyMom
Turkey Sweet Potato Chili by Home And Garden Cafe
Peanut Butter Cup Cake by Simply Southern Mom
Heaven’s Delight Pineapple Marshmallow Thanksgiving Dessert Recipe by Pretty Opinionated
Delicious Chocolate Genoise Recipe by OurFamilyWorld
Easy Thanksgiving Centerpiece by Upstate Ramblings
Family Gratitude Journal by Day by Day in Our World
How to Make Pumpkin Gnocchi by Jennifer Sikora
Fun Turkey Cupcake Idea by Kids Fun Reviewed
Fall Harvest Pins DIY Fall Harvest Craft by Blessed Elements
Hearty Chicken and Vegetable Soup by Sweet Lil You
Soft Baked White Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Cookies by Savvy Saving Couple
Mini Fall Leaf Decorated Cookies by How Was Your Day?
Homemade Apple Muffins by Momma D Jane

Halloween Candied Popcorn

Lolli — Mon, 21 Sep 2015 05:02:48 +0000

I love an excuse to make sweet treats. And Halloween is such a perfect time for making all sorts of treats.

This past weekend, I made this Halloween candied popcorn just for fun. It happened to be our elementary school’s annual back to school picnic and fun run, so I brought it along as our picnic dessert.

My husband and I sat on our picnic blanket, snacking on our candied popcorn, while our youngest son ran a mile and a half with the rest of the elementary school kids. It was good. My boys agreed (although, to his credit, AJ said that it wasn’t exactly good for him, but he was ok with eating it because he needed to replace some calories after his run. Oy! Kids!). Ok, so maybe it isn’t the healthiest way to eat popcorn, but sometimes a sweet treat is ok…right?

Ready for the recipe?

Yum

Halloween Candied Popcorn

Ingredients

6 cups popcorn, popped and salted (I use my homemade kettle corn)
4 ounces white chocolate
1 tablespoon peanut butter
1/2 cup Reese's Pieces
1/2 cup candy corn
1 cup mini marshmallows

Instructions

Spread popcorn out on cookie sheet covered in aluminum foil. Measure out candies and set aside.
Melt white chocolate and peanut butter in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring frequently until melted and smooth.
Drizzle melted chocolate/peanut butter over popcorn. Immediately sprinkle candies over popcorn/chocolate.
Let candy and popcorn cool and dry (if you can wait to eat it!).

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It’s so easy! I wanted to try to make a candied popcorn without using corn syrup (it’s not like this is healthy, or anything, but still….) and I was so pleased with how easy it was to make and how well the flavors went together. This would be perfect for a Halloween party!

Here are the quick visual directions:

Spread popped popcorn on a lined cookie sheet (I used my kettle corn recipe).

Melt white chocolate and peanut butter over low heat and drizzle over popcorn.

Sprinkle candies over the popcorn (they will stick to the melted chocolate as it cools).

Enjoy!

You may just end up licking your fingers…

For more Halloween ideas, here are a few of my favorite bloggers:

Pumpkin Overnight Steel Cut Oats by Confessions of an Overworked Mom
Halloween Ghost Skillet Pizza by A Mom’s Take
Halloween Treats – Witch Hats & Brooms by Mom Does it All
Simple Halloween Chow in an Edible Bowl by 2Boys+1Girl=OneCrazyMom
DIY Halloween Wreath by Home and Garden Cafe
JELL-O Candy Corn Cups by This Mama Loves
Trick or Treat DIY Bath Salts by Pretty Opinionated
Poison Apple Halloween Drink for Kids by Ourfamilyworld
Halloween Fudge by Upstate Ramblings
Dollar Store DIY: Halloween Vase by MommaDJane
Scary Halloween Bones by Jennifer Sikora
Haunted Castle Cake by Kid’s Fun Review
Halloween Ghost Poop Treat Bags by My So Called Balanced Life
Witches Brew Drink Mug by How Was Your Day?
Distressed Sugar Skull Tee by Style on Main
Super Easy Mock Pay Day Bar Mix by Day by Day in Our World
Halloween Candy Apples by Savvy Saving Couple
Gluten Free Spooky Ghost Cake by Simply Southern Mom
Simple DIY Halloween Treat Basket by Sweet Lil You

Skillet Apple Crisp #CreativeHOP

Lolli — Thu, 20 Aug 2015 05:00:16 +0000

‘Tis the season for apples and apple recipes! Apples were always my favorite fruit, but I’ve been allergic to them for the last 16 years or so (it’s a long story…something called oral allergy syndrome).

Since I can’t eat many of the fresh fall fruits that I used to love, and since I can eat fruits after they’ve been cooked, I now love to find ways to bake with them. I’ve always been a fan of my special apple pie recipe, but I only go through the hassle of making an apple pie for special occasions and holidays.

This apple crisp is the perfect (and perfectly easy) way to enjoy some delicious fall apples. I thought the addition of the pecans was one of the best parts, but the nuts are easily left out if you either can’t eat or don’t like to eat nuts (but, really…they add a wonderful crunch and flavor).

Since I am currently obsessed with cooking in cast iron, I was excited to try an apple crisp in my newest cast iron skillet. It baked up perfectly, but there’s one specific thing to mention: when I left the apple crisp in the cast iron skillet over night (because I made the crisp late one night) the apples had started to turn black. I would recommend storing any leftovers in a separate glass or plastic container. You can definitely make this apple crisp in a glass baking dish.

I used Granny Smith apples, but I think a sweet apple would work just as well. If you prefer your apples to be more crisp, then reduce the stove top cooking time.

Ready for the recipe?

Yum

Skillet Apple Crisp

Ingredients

1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup quick oats
3/4 cup pecans, chopped
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
8 tablespoons butter, melted
6 large apples, peeled, cored, and cut into 1/2" wedges
1/4 cup granulated sugar (for filling)
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon (for filling)
1/2 cup applesauce (I used berry applesauce)
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons lemon juice

Instructions

Preheat to 450 degrees F. Move oven rack to middle of the oven.
To make the topping, mix flour, pecans, oats, brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Stir the melted butter into the dry mix until everything is evenly coated and crumbly. Set aside.
To make the filling, toss the apples, sugar, cinnamon, and applesauce in a large bowl.
In a 12 inch cast iron skillet over medium heat, melt butter. Add the apples and cook, stirring frequently, until apples just start to soften, about 5-8 minutes. Remove skillet from heat and stir in lemon juice.
Sprinkle the topping over the apples in the skillet and bake for about 15-18 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown.
Cool for 10-15 minutes before serving (the apples will be hot!). Serve with vanilla ice cream (yum).
Note: if you don't have a cast iron skillet, you can cook the apples in a regular skillet and then transfer to a square baking dish. Bake for 20-25 minutes.

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Modified from this apple crisp recipe.

For more fun Fall projects and recipes, visit a few of my favorite bloggers:

Easy Paleo Apple Butter Recipe from Confessions of an Overworked Mom
Skillet Apple Pie Roll Recipe from A Mom’s Take
DIY Wooden Apples Craft from Mom Does it All
Caramel Apple French Toast Strata from My So Called Balanced Life
Fall Chopped Salad from 2boys+1girl=OneCrazyMom
Caramel Apple Shortbread Parfaits from Simply Southern Mom
Homemade Apple Cider from This Mama Loves
DIY Apple Earrings from Cait’s Beauty
Crazy Easy Salted Caramel Apple Dip Recipe from Pretty Opinionated
Apple Stamp Craft from Mom on the Side
Chocolate Dipped Spiced Caramel Apples from How Was Your Day?
Homemade Crepes with Apple Butter from Our Family World
Apple Monkey Bread Muffins from Upstate Ramblings
How to Host a Caramel Apple Bar from MommaDJane
DIY Glittered Sneakers from Style on Main
Apples and Avocados from The Guavalicious Life
Apple Pie Ice Cream from Home and Garden Cafe
Morning Glory Muffins from Day by Day in Our World

DIY Shea Butter Lotion Bars

Lolli — Mon, 20 Apr 2015 08:00:09 +0000

Curious how you can make your own shea butter lotion bars? I’ve become totally hooked on these DIY lotion bars, and I KNOW you will, too!

Mother’s Day is coming up soon…and so is graduation and Father’s Day and a ton of family birthdays. And a family wedding. In other words, I have entered the season of gifts.

I pride myself in being able to find the perfect gifts for my family members (the ones that live with me) but I am notoriously bad about getting gifts for people who I don’t see every day. In the last few months, I have started making a few beauty products for myself and recognized immediately that the lotions and soaps and scrubs that I was making would be perfect to give as gifts.

Please note: I’ve included affiliate links within this post to recommend some of my favorite products that I use regularly when I make homemade lotion bars and other beauty products. You don’t pay anything extra, but I can make a small commission on the sales.

Since I’ve started using my own natural, homemade lotions, scrubs and soaps, I can’t imagine using anything else. I have come to completely rely on them for my daily moisturizing.

Not only are these so easy to make, but I feel great using products on my skin that I can both pronounce and feel comfortable using. 100%.

And with the addition of some of my favorite essential oils, they smell amazing, too.

These little lotion bars are extremely easy to make, and based on the ingredients that I purchased (not including the optional essential oils or the mold), each 1.5 x 1.5 inch lotion bar costs about 31 cents.

Ingredients Needed:

Here are the ingredients I used (I purchased almost everything except for the oils on Amazon so I didn’t have to shop around).

Wilton 24-Cavity Silicone Brownie Squares Baking Mold
Organic Coconut Oil
Unrefined Raw Shea Butter
Beeswax Organic Pastilles
Essential oils (optional): Cinnamon Bark, Peppermint, Eucalyptus, Lemon, Orange, Grapefruit

Note: I have a huge collection of essential oils so I just made a few variations with some of my favorite scents. If you don’t have essential oils on hand, you can definitely make these lotion bars without them, but I do highly recommend scenting your lotion to your “taste”!

I am partial to the cinnamon (combined with the shea butter and coconut oil, the lotion bars have a pleasant cinnamon bun scent) and the peppermint/eucalyptus combo (which is a very refreshing/invigorating scent). But use (or don’t use!) your favorites and make these lotion bars your own.

Ready to learn how you can make these DIY lotion bars with shea butter??

Click HERE to get the printable recipe:

DIY Easy Mint Sugar Scrub {+ Printable Labels}

Lolli — Fri, 20 Feb 2015 10:00:21 +0000

Whether it’s cold and dry where you are…or it’s hot and sandy…I don’t know many hands and feet (and elbows and knees) that couldn’t benefit from a little sugar scrub. There are so many awesome scented beauty products out there, but I’ve been discovering lately how much I love to make my own homemade beauty products. Not only are they so much cheaper than their fancy store-bought alternatives, but they tend to be better for your body, too. Note: affiliate links used within this post.

This past week I was contemplating a simple craft that I could make for a St. Patrick’s Day #CreativeHOP with a few awesome bloggers like we did last month for Valentine’s Day. Since my house is small, I love finding little projects that I can either give away as gifts or that can be used up. This craft fits both criteria.

Since St. Patrick’s Day is all about green, and green makes me think of peppermint (a scent that I happen to love!), I decided to try making a mint sugar scrub for those dry winter hands and feet. I love how it turned out! It smells fresh and invigorating, and it leaves me hands feeling SO soft!

Note: This recipe makes approximately four 4-ounce mason jars of scrub.

How To Make Your Own Sugar Scrub At Home

5.0 from 2 reviews

Easy Mint Sugar Scrub

Author: Lolli

Ingredients

1 - 1½ cups granulated sugar
⅓ cup coconut oil
Peppermint oil (10-12 drops)
Green food coloring (plus a little yellow, if needed)
Small glass jars (I used 4-ounce mason jars) with lids to store
Printable label (see below)
Ribbon, twine, etc

Instructions

In a medium bowl, mix sugar and coconut oil. Add peppermint oil and a small amount of food coloring. Stir or "knead" with your hands until you're pleased with the color and smell.
Store sugar scrub in a closed jar or other container.
Print off labels, cut them out, and attach a label and ribbon to each jar.
To use: scoop out a spoon full and rub it on damp skin (hands, feet, elbows, knees) and then rinse.

Free Labels to Print at Home

Here’s the printable sheet with the labels. Simply click on the image to open up the full size photo and save to your computer.

The great thing about sugar scrubs is that you can literally make them any color or scent that makes you happy. Package your sugar scrub in a small jar with a cute label and bow, and you’ve got yourself an adorable gift for a friend. I recommend keeping a little for yourself, too…

Note: Coconut oil is solid when cool. You may find it easier to heat it in the microwave for a few seconds to soften/melt it before adding it to the sugar. Personally, I liked kneading the sugar scrub with my hands. Another note about sugar scrubs using coconut oil. When you rinse the sugar scrub off, your skin will be slightly greasy/oily. I like to simply wipe the excess oiliness on a paper towel. Your hands will feel so soft!

Buy these cute jars here.

Check out the other St. Patrick’s Day recipes and crafts I’ve posted in the past:
Mint Chocolate Rice Krispie Treats
Irish Stew and Soda Bread
“Pinch-Proof” Onesies
Leprechaun Bark
St. Patrick’s Day Printables

For more amazing St. Patrick’s Day ideas, check out some blog posts from a few of my favorite bloggers:

Bailey’s Irish Cream Non Alcoholic Irish Coffee Creamer from Confessions of an Overworked Mom
Irish Potatoes Candy Recipe from My So Called Balance Life
Simple No Bake Chocolate Crossies in Green from Two Girls One Boy and a Crazy Mom
DIY St. Patrick’s Day Mason Jar Planters from Home and Garden Cafe
St. Patrick’s Day cupcakes with a healthier twist from Our Family World
Simple Shamrock Picture (DIY Shamrock Crafts) from Simply Southern Mom
Kiss Me I’m Irish DIY Burlap Bag from A Mom’s Take
Mint Sugar Scrub from Better in Bulk (you’re here!)
Green Tea Shamrock Cookies from About a Mom
Mason Jar Tealights from Upstate Ramblings
White Hot Chocolate Recipe from This Mama Loves
DIY Hulk Green Slim from Momma D Jane
A simple Irish dinner from Day by Day in Our World
Infinite Luck Bracelet from Style on Main
Reuben Sandwich from How Was Your Day?