Lavender Oatmeal Bath Soak with Essential Oils DIY + Free Printable

I blinked...and the holidays are here. How did that happen?! Holiday gift-giving is so much fun, and I especially love it when I can incorporate some oily goodness into it. I had to prep a really quick gift last week, and I ended up making this Lavender Essential Oil Oatmeal Relaxing Bath Soak. This idea was adapted from Young Living's own Lavender-Oatmeal Bath Soak recipe.

This recipe is SO easy to make - it didn't take long at all! I put some in bath jars, then put even more in 3x4" plastic bags so that I have them on hand for last-minute gifts. Then I printed up a quick label to attach to the jars and the bags! I've made that into a PDF (linked below) so that you can make them quickly, too! I've also made these Lavender Essential Oils Bath Bombs in a pinch for a quick gift, but they take a bit longer than this soak.

Lavender Oatmeal Relaxing Bath Soak
Supplies Needed: 
-1 cup Epsom salt
-1/2 cup Baking Soda
-1 cup Quick Oats
-20-25 drops Lavender Young Living Essential Oil
-Mixing Bowl & Spoon
-Food Processor

Optional:
-Lavender Oatmeal Bath Soak Printable
-Mini Clear 3x4" Bags (I found mine at Hobby Lobby)
-Staples
OR
-Small Glass Containers with lids

How to make them: 

1. Put oats in a food processor and grind until they reach a fine consistency (like flour). You'll probably have some floating oatmeal flakes in the bathtub, so the smaller you can grind them, the better.

2. Combine all dry ingredients in a bowl.

3. Add essential oils and stir until they are distributed evenly.

4. Toss about 1 cup in the bathtub when you need some time to relax!


And that's it! See? Super easy. Who is on your gift giving list this Christmas? I think I will give some of this goodness to friends, family, teachers, students....basically anyone who could use a little "me" time! And I think I'll keep a huge jar of this on my own bathroom counter, too!

Relaxing Lavender Bath Bombs DIY + Printable

Being a mom is tough. Having kiddos who are rambunctious and energetic even when it's three hours past bedtime is tough. Finding a way to relax everyone when it's time for bed is an absolute necessity.

I recently made up a batch of these Relaxing Lavender Bath Bombs to share with some friends, but ended up keeping a lot of them for myself! I have loved using Epsom salts for bathtime for years - they're awesome for relieving tension and inflammation. I've started trying to add in essential oils for even more benefits.

These bath bombs are super easy to make - they're great for a make and take girls night, Christmas gifts, party favors...whatever you want!

Relaxing Lavender Bath Bombs
Supplies Needed: 
-2 1/2 cups Epsom salts
-12-20 drops Lavender Young Living Essential Oil
-2 tbsp Water
-1 splash Vanilla (yes, a splash! Probably about 1/2 teaspoon, but the amount isn't critical)
-Muffin Pan (I used a mini pan to make these, but you could easily make them in a regular size tin, too)
-Mixing Bowl & Spoon

Optional:
-Relaxing Lavender Bath Bombs Printable
-Mini Clear Treat Bags (I found mine at Walmart)
-Staples

How to make them: 

1. Combine Epsom salts, water, vanilla, and essential oils in bowl. Mix well. I made multiple batches and used different amounts of oils each time. When I used about 20 drops, the lavender smell was much stronger. It just depends on how strong you want them to smell!

2. Scoop the mixture directly into the muffin pan. Press firmly down into each muffin cup. Let the muffin pan sit while the bath bombs dry. I advise letting them sit overnight - for a minimum of at least 12-24 hours. I set mine out in the sun one afternoon when I needed them to be ready sooner and that took a couple of hours off the drying time. You want to wait until they're totally dry to remove them from the tin or they will fall to pieces!

3. Once they are dry, carefully flip the tin and gently tap on the cups to release the bath bombs.

4. Optional - if you're packaging these for gifts, add one to each clear treat bag. Print the Relaxing Lavender Bath Bomb tags, cut them out, fold, and staple on each bag.

There's no reason to stick with just lavender... You can add any essential oil that you might want to support your specific wellness need! I've used Stress Away, Endoflex, Thieves, and many others in the past! What oil would you like to try?

Rosemary & Panaway Essential Oil Soap

I remember making homemade soap in a homeschool activity group when I was a kid. It was so much fun! I have been out of the soap making world for many, many years, but have decided it's time to jump back in. DIY bath and beauty products are easy to make and they're perfect for gifts. Make this Rosemary & Panaway Essential Oil Soap for yourself, then whip up a batch of Coconut Lime Sugar Scrub for a friend. You can do both in one afternoon!

If you're not already using essential oils for wellness in your home, you're missing out! We use Young Living essential oils because of their amazing seed-to-seal promise and have loved seeing the benefits of these oils for the last year.

Rosemary & Panaway Essential Oil Soap

Items Used:

- Melt and Pour Soap (1/4 of the brick)
- Fresh Rosemary, 4 oz.
- 1/4 cup Grapeseed Oil
- 1/4 cup Chia Seed
- 1 cup Oatmeal
- Panaway and Rosemary Young Living Essential Oils

How to make it: 

1. Melt soap as directed on the package. You'll know it's melted correctly when it is the same consistency as heavy cream.

2. In a blender, mix the chia seeds, fresh rosemary, and oatmeal until powdered. Add this mixture to melted soap.

3. Add in 15-20 drops of each of the essential oils.

4. Stir and pour into a soap mold.

5. Set aside for about 45 minutes until firm. Once it has hardened, remove from mold, cut into bars, and enjoy! If you're storing multiple bars, use sheets of wax paper between them to minimize sticking.

It's really that easy. This soap smells divine and makes a wonderful gift. Try wrapping it up in a cute paper bag tied up with a ribbon as an end-of-year teacher gift or as part of a Mother's Day basket.

What's your favorite DIY beauty product? 

Coconut Lime Sugar Scrub

This post contains affiliate links.

Need more essential oils recipes? Check out our Rosemary and Panaway Esesntial Oil DIY Soap!

Most of the moms I know could use a little pampering. Okay, that's not true. Most of the moms I know could use a lot of pampering! I'm not a big fan of spending a lot of money on fancy spa treatments or bath products - with a tight budget, there's just not a lot of room for extras like that. So every time I'm able to make something for myself or a friend, I consider that a huge win. Today I'm sharing this amazing Coconut Lime Sugar Scrub recipe with you. It's made with essential oils and ingredients that you probably already have in your home. 

If you're not already using essential oils for wellness in your home, you're missing out! We use Young Living essential oils because of their amazing seed-to-seal promise and have loved seeing the benefits of these oils for the last year. 

Coconut Lime Sugar Scrub
Ingredients

-1/4 cup unrefined coconut oil, melted

-1 1/2 cups white sugar

-10 drops Lime essential oil

-Juice from 1/2 fresh lime

-Lime zest from 1/2 fresh lime, 1 pinch reserved

How to make it:

1. Combine all ingredients in a small glass bowl. Mix well.

2. Spoon the sugar scrub into a fresh jar. 

3. Sprinkle 1 pinch of lime zest on top.

4. Use within 3 days or refrigerate to store indefinitely. 

Note: When the coconut oil hardens, the scrub will feel dry and crumbly. Once it is massaged into the skin, the oil melts and the scrub smooths and moisturizes skin.

Yes - it is seriously that easy! Whip up a batch for yourself or for a friend. With the green zest on top, it would even make a cute teacher's gift for St. Patrick's Day! With the fresh lime juice and the essential oil, this stuff smells divine. Citrus is one of my favorite scents.

What's your favorite way to pamper yourself? 

"Let It Glow" Frozen Valentines + Free Printable

Need a unique classroom Valentine idea? Wow the class and Let it GLOW with these easy DIY Frozen Glow Stick Valentines. They're like little magical snow queen wands! They only take a few minutes to put together and they're not expensive. Perfect for last-minute crafters like myself.

"Let It Glow" Frozen Valentines
Supplies Needed

-Blue Glow Stick Bracelets
-Snowflakes (I had wooden ones in my craft stash, but you could make them from paper or even buy stickers or foam pieces)
-Hole Punch
-Scissors
-Hot Glue Gun & Glue
-"Let It Glow" Printable - download it here.

Instructions

1. Print your valentines. There are six to a sheet.

2. Use hole punch to punch out the black circles. Place a glow stick through each valentine.

3. Use hot glue to attach the snowflakes to the top of each glow stick.

There you have it! This little fixer-upper project takes just a few minutes and will delight a whole classroom. It may also possibly cause your child's teacher some mental exhaustion from the subsequent belting of the entire soundtrack of a certain popular film beloved by children of all ages. Oh well. If you're volunteering in class that day, just make sure that you sing along! Or don't - depending on whether or not you value your relationship with the teacher.

My kids always love glow sticks, and I always hate holidays that only involve candy. This is a relatively inexpensive option for a candy-free valentine treat - and it's easy enough that kids can help put it together for their friends!

The snowflakes work well since Valentine's Day happens to fall in winter, but there's no reason why you couldn't make glow stick snowflake wands any time of the year! My kids loved playing with these.

What kind of valentines are your kids giving out this year? 

You're Awesomesauce, Valentine - Non-Candy Classroom Valentine Idea + Free Printable

I was told recently by some of my drama students who are teenagers that the word "awesomesauce" has gone out of fashion. I laughed. They can try to tell me what's hip, but I'm an almost-thirty-year-old mom. I'll probably be saying awesomesauce until the day I die (thanks a lot, Parks & Recreation). As a testament to how often I use this word, the other day my almost five-year-old declared something to be AWESOMESAUCE - and I laughed in glee that he has picked up such an epic (albeit apparently uncool) word.

Anyway - my kids will not be in a classroom setting for Valentine's Day this year, but that hasn't stopped me from coming up with some non-candy classroom valentine ideas, including this You're Awesomesauce, Valentine applesauce pouch. The tag is a free printable - keep reading for the instructions to make these easy and fun treats to pass out to friends, and to download the awesomesauce tags for yourself!

You're Awesomesauce, Valentine Non-Candy Classroom Valentine
Supplies Needed: 

-Free Printable "You're Awesomesauce, Valentine" Hearts - you can download it here.
-GoGo Squeez Applesauce (or any other kind of sauce) Pouches
-Scissors
-Twine
-Mini Hole Punch

Instructions: 

1. Print out the hearts and cut along the outside edge of the dark lines.

2. Punch two small holes beside each other, near the top center of each heart.

3. Cut twine or thread (mine was approximately 20" long but you could get away with less than that). Thread both sides of twine through holes to back of heart (see photo below).

4. Loop thread under pouch cap and tie half-knot at the back of the pouch.

5. Bring thread back to front and tie a bow. Trim ends as desired.

I used coordinating thread for each heart color, but you could use plain twine, yarn, or any other small string as desired. We love applesauce pouches in our home - especially because we have a lot of food allergies and limit sugar, so we can't have many of the traditional candy holiday treats.

Have an AWESOMESAUCE Valentine's Day, my friends!

Seriously, though - is the word out of vogue? Do I need to actually quit saying it? Sooooo not happening. 

DIY Marbled Votive Candle Holders

Something about winter puts me in the mood to craft all.the.time. The cold months when we're trapped inside are great for catching up on projects, organizing, or making a gift stash to use throughout the year. If I were really smart, I would even begin working on homemade Christmas gifts, because we all know that when the holidays roll around, there's never enough time for crafting!

These DIY Marbled Votive Candle Holders are ridiculously easy for how impressive they look when they are finished. You could marble any size holder, but the votive candle size is perfect for experimenting and creating simple gifts for friends and family. This is a simple enough project for older kids and teens to do on their own (or with minimal help), so they would be great for a birthday party craft.

Want to make some yourself? Here's how!

DIY Marbled Votive Candle HoldersSupplies:
-Glass Candle Holder
-Large Bowl (use an old one or pick up a cheap one at a thrift store or the $1 store)
-Nail Polish (a couple different colors of your choice)
-Warm Water
-Toothpicks
-Wax Paper

Instructions:

1. Make sure you have a work space that is protected - you don't want nail polish permanently on your table or countertop! Once that's done, fill your bowl with warm water.

2. Slowly pour in the first color of nail polish.  You want to pour it pretty close to the water’s edge, so that the drops don't sink to the bottom. There's not a science on how much polish to use, but to get a good amount for marbling, you may need to experiment.

3. Add in your second color of polish the same way.

4. Use a toothpick and swirl the colors together.

5. Dip the candle at an angle into the water.  You don’t need to submerge it.  The polish should just cling to it.

6. Set the candles upside down on the wax paper to dry. Then enjoy your DIY Marbled Votive Candle Holders for many years to come! 

Aren't they fun? Have you ever done a project that involved marbling something? I think it would be fun to make these for every season!

DIY Washi Tape Frame + Free Prints from Shutterfly

Disclosure: This post has been sponsored by Shutterfly. All opinions are my own and honest! 

Sometimes in the middle of a dreary season - like winter, where it's actually dreary outside or even just a season of dreariness of mind or heart - you need something new and lovely to brighten your spirits. It's amazing how something like a pop of color can change your whole perspective!

I used Shutterfly to print this baby photo of my daughter. At first, I put it in a plain purple photo frame that I had painted for her first birthday party. It was cute...but just not cute enough for prime placement on display. I decided to whip up a new solution: the DIY Washi Tape Frame and I love how it turned out. The best part is, it took me about thirty minutes from start to finish and was made mostly with stuff I already had in my house.

DIY Washi Tape Frame
Supplies Needed

-Photo Frame with Mat. Mine is from IKEA several years ago - not sure if they still carry this line, but it's a basic square frame with an included mat. If you can't find something similar, you could always do a plain square frame and cut the mat yourself.
-Washi Tape. No limit on how many you can use! I chose five coordinating rolls.
-Flower or some other accent. I had this in my flower stash (it's from Hobby Lobby), but you could make one or use some other decoration or skip it altogether! Did I mention this craft is easy?!
-Adhesive to attach the flower, should you decide to use it.

Instructions: 

1. Remove mat from frame.

2. Experiment with washi tape design. The great thing about washi tape is that it works like masking tape - you can peel it back up over and over again to get the placement right. I started from the top and worked my way down, but I think next time I do this, I will start the project in the middle of the frame so the pattern is symmetrical from top to bottom.

3. Tape, tape, tape, and then tape some more. It's therapeutic! I promise!

When you're finished, you could add a layer of glossy Mod Podge over the top if you wanted, but I didn't find that necessary since it was going to be behind glass.

4. Add photo and put frame back together!

5. Attach accent on the outside of the frame.

And that is it! I'm in love with it. 

Did you know that Shutterfly has an app (which is so much fun) and that right now you can get FREE unlimited 4x6 and 4x4 prints? How cool is that? FREE PHOTOS. You guys, I'm so bad about getting photos of my kids printed and in albums or up on the walls where my family can enjoy them. I'm so taking advantage of this deal and getting some of my iPhone photos into my hands so I can enjoy them OFF a screen.

The app is available for iPhone, iPad and Android. You can import photos to the app from Instagram and Facebook or upload from your phone's camera roll. The free photo offer is available for new and existing Shutterfly customers (yay!). Shipping fees do apply - choose economy shipping if you can wait 7-10 business days for delivery.