DIY Vanilla Citrus Sugar Scrub

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Body Scrub in a jar

Pamper yourself (and your loved ones!) with a scrub that will leave hands and feet feeling soft, while smelling sweet and fresh. Thanks to the lemon zest and sweet almond oil, each jar smells good enough to eat! Pour each serving into Mason jars to easily gift and store. DIY provided by our blogger friend, Tabitha, at Fresh Mommy Blog.

Ingredients:

  • Zest of one lemon
  • 1 cup Vanilla Coconut Sugar (this smells amazing!)
  • 1/2 cup Sweet Almond Oil or softened coconut oil
  • 5-10 drops Essential oils (Tabitha used wild orange and lavender)

Directions

  1. In a medium bowl, add in sugar, almond oil and essential oils. Stir to combine.
  2. Using your fingers, rub the lemon zest into the sugar  to release the oil.
  3. Store in an airtight container, like a Mason jar.

DIY Gift Bundles for Mother’s Day

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Need a last minute Mother’s Day gift? Look no further than these DIY gift baskets your mom will love! Mother’s Day is just around the corner and you may be rushing to find the perfect gift for mom. A gift basket made by you is a thoughtful, practical and personalized gift that any mother in your life will cherish. Check out these easy, DIY gift basket ideas created by our friends at Fresh Mommy Blog; Food, Pleasure & Health; and One Lovely Life!

The Ultimate Pampering Gift Bundle by Fresh Mommy Blog

If anyone needs a little pampering in their lives, it’s the mamas of the world! Give her the gift she may not give herself – everything she needs for an evening of relaxation and pampering.

Supplies:Basket filled with assortment of gifts.

  • Body Wash – Nubian Heritage Patchouli & Buriti
  • Body Lotion – Nubian Heritage Patchouli & Buriti
  • Body Scrub – Nubian Heritage Patchouli & Buriti
  • Pretty Soap – Sappohill Oatmeal Soap Bar
  • Candle – Tru Mélange Harmony Vanilla & Peppermint
  • Bath Bomb
  • Body brush or natural sponge
  • Wine – Gérard Bertrand Coté des Roses
  • Chocolates
  • Flowers
  • Basket
  • Hand towels

Instructions:

  1. Start with a color theme! While browsing the bath and beauty aisles of Sprouts, I landed on the theme of blush and vanilla. The Nubian Heritage bottles were pretty, and the perfect start to our themed basket. The product also smelled fantastic!
  2. Gather any items that would make bath-time a pampering and relaxing experience. In keeping with the vanilla theme, the Tru Mélange candle fit right in. The pumice stone and brush combo matched, and so did the oatmeal soap.
  3. Next, it was time to add a few extra treats. Chocolates are definitely part of a pampering experience, and I picked up a couple containers of various chocolates to put in mason jars to add to the look and feel of the gift basket. You could use goodie bags, add ribbon, tags, etc.
  4. Don’t forget something to drink! Mom’s favorite tea, coffee or wine makes a great pairing for a night of pampering. Rosé is not only a top choice, it’s also a beautiful one! This bottle of Gérard Bertrand Coté des Roses was stunning and I knew the bottle could even be reused later.
  5. Grab a beautiful bouquet to top off the basket, and you’re ready to go!
  6. Using towels, wash cloths or even a robe, begin to build the ultimate pampering basket by layering the items so each is visible and compliments the others.

Loves to Cook Bundle by Food, Pleasure & Health

Each item in this basket is hand-picked for moms who are adventurous cooks and are ready for more finesse in the kitchen.

Supplies:

Supplies:

  1. Gather all of the supplies from your favorite craft store and ingredients from Sprouts.
  2. Lay the basket flat on the floor and put empty cardboard box or riser inside for height.
  3. Cover the riser/cardboard box with tissue paper or fabric.
  4. Arrange the ingredients; think about color combination and height to make it visually appealing.
  5. Cover with cellphone bag, bows or other decorations as desired.

Natural Beauty Bundle by One Lovely Life

This gorgeous basket is full of natural beauty favorites—from makeup to self-care and more. This is the perfect gift for the beauty lover in your life.

Ingredients:Assortment of gifts in a basket.

Instructions:

  1. Assemble all items in your favorite basket or bag.
  2. Give along with fresh flowers.

Dye Your Eggs Naturally

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Easter’s right around the corner, so skip the egg dye kits this year and go natural! Save time and money by making your own all-natural egg dye using ingredients like fresh berries and spinach straight from your very own kitchen! Egg-cellence is guaranteed.

Ingredients:

  • Eggs
  • 1 tsp. Salt
  • 2 Tbsp. White vinegar
For Yellow/Green Dye:
  • 1 cup spinach, chopped

    • For Blue Dye:
  • 1 cup cabbage, chopped

    • For Dark Blue Dye:
  • 1 cup blueberries

    • For Red Dye:
  • 2 cups Beets, chopped

    • For Purple Dye:
  • 1 cup blackberries

    • How to:

    1. Boil eggs and let cool.
    2. Gather the different produce items you’d like to try as a colorant (example: spinach, etc.).
    3. Measure out at least 1 cup of each produce item.
    4. Add 2 cups of water to a pot, and add at least one cup of produce. You will need a separate pot or pan for each colorant.
    5. Bring mixture to a boil and then turn heat down to a simmer for 15 minutes.
    6. Pour through a sieve into a container.
    7. Add 1 Tbsp. of vinegar and stir. If you’re working with kids, let cool before use.
    8. Rub egg with a bit of vinegar with a cloth or paper towel. Place the egg into the container. The longer you leave the egg in, the deeper the color.
    9. Take eggs out of dye and let dry for several hours or overnight before handling.
    Dyed eggs next to produce of the same color
    For extra vibrancy, create a more concentrated dye with more produce and less liquid.
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    Gift Giving Made Easy

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    Get ready for the holidays with these quick and easy gifts-in-a-jar. These are perfect to give to friends, neighbors, party hosts, co-workers or anyone who needs a little cheer. All of these items can be found in our bulk or produce department, making it easy to grab as much or as little as you need! TIP: Add a notecard with instructions for each jar so your recipients know exactly what to do.

    Chocolate Almond Cookies

    Jar Prep Time: 5 minutes, Total Time for Cookies: 20 minutes, Serves: 12

    Jar Ingredients

    • 1 1/2 cup All-purpose flour
    • 1/2 tsp. Baking soda
    • 1/4 tsp. Salt
    • 1/2 cup White sugar
    • 1/4 cup Light brown sugar
    • 1/4 cup Slivered almonds
    • 1 cup Chocolate chunks

    Add for Baking:

    • 1/2 cup Unsalted butter, softened
    • 1 large egg
    • 1 tsp. Vanilla extract
    Chocolate Almond Cookie Mix

    For Gift Jar:

    1. Combine flour, baking soda and salt in the bottom of the mason jar.
    2. Top with the white sugar, followed by the brown sugar.
    3. Add in the chocolate chunks, then the almonds. Seal the mason jar.
    4. Decorate with holiday ribbon.

    For Baking:

    1. Preheat oven to 350F.
    2. Beat butter, egg and vanilla extract in a large mixing bowl until combined.
    3. Add in the gift jar mix and stir well.
    4. Drop tablespoon-sized cookie dough balls onto a parment lined baking sheet.
    5. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until edges are golden brown.
    6. Transfer to a wire rack and allow to cool.

    Holiday Spiced Simmer Pot

    Simmer pots will wow everyone on your list! They’re a great alternative to candles and fill your home with the scents of the season while using fresh, natural ingredients. Just add water and your favorite holiday citrus!

    Jar Ingredients:

    • 5 whole Cinnamon sticks
    • 1 Tbsp. Nutmeg, ground
    • 1 Tbsp. Cardamom pods
    • 3 Star anise
    • 3 Dried Orange peels
    • 3 Dried ginger slices
    Simmer pot with spices and produce

    For Gift Jar:

    1. Layer dry ingredients in a tall Mason jar in order: nutmeg, cardamom pods, star anise, cinnamon sticks, orange peels and ginger slices.
    2. Seal the jar and decorate as desired.

    To Use:

    1. In a large simmer pot, add 5 cups of water.
    2. Bring to a boil, then add in the jar ingredients.
    3. Optional: Add in fresh apples or navel oranges.
    4. Reduce heat to low and simmer until water is evaporated or continue adding water for extra time.

    Cinnamon Sugar Roasted Almonds

    Give the gift of cinnamon, spice and everything nice with these homemade roasted almonds. They will make your home smell amazing and make a tasty gift for anyone on your list.

    Total time: 60 minutes. Makes four gift jars.

    Ingredients:

    • 1 Egg white
    • 1/2 cup White sugar
    • 4 cups Whole, raw almonds
    • 1/2 Tbsp. Cinnamon, ground
    • 1/4 tsp. Salt
    • 1 tsp. Water
    Cinnamon Sugar Almonds>

    Directions:

    1. Preheat the oven to 300F.
    2. In a large bowl, beat the egg white and water to create a froth.
    3. Add in the almonds, sugar, cinnamon and salt. Stir to coat the almonds evenly.
    4. Lightly coat a baking sheet with non-stick spray and evenly spread the almonds on the pan.
    5. Bake for 50 minutes, stirring occasionally. Allow to cool.
    6. Scoop 1 cup of almonds into a decorated Mason jar.

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    Self-Care in the New Year

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    Getting a Good Night's Sleep with natural remediesThe New Year is full of big goals and new routines, but you can’t achieve great things if you aren’t taking care of your body and mind. Next time you’re feeling a bit stressed, take a step back and implement some of these self-care tips so you can be your best year-round!

    Physical Self-Care

    Physical self-care includes all the things that allow your body to function properly. From getting enough sleep to supplementing nutrient deficiencies with vitamins, these all can make a huge impact on your overall well-being. Make sure you’re staying active, fueling your body with proper fruits and veggies, and staying on top of your physical health.

    Meditation

    Once you have taken care of yourself physically, meditation becomes a great tool to quiet the mind and relax. Often times we have a long to-do list and don’t take the time we need to recharge. Meditation allows you to put the phone away, sit quietly with your thoughts and focus on the moment. Challenge yourself to spend 5 minutes a day with no distractions and focus on your thoughts and taking meaningful, deep breaths.

    Establish a Morning Routine

    Often times the mornings are chaotic with getting kids dressed and off to school, grabbing coffee and burnt toast and off to work we go! This results in a rush of cortisol to start the day which can leave you feeling sluggish and fatigued later on. Establishing a solid morning routine allows you to set the tone for the day and remain in control of your energy. Start with something as simple as making your bed, then add in a morning stretch or anything else that will help you have a more peaceful day.

    Start a Journal

    If you haven’t journaled before it can seem overwhelming to put all your thoughts onto paper, but have no fear! By allowing yourself to express and feel your emotions through writing, you won’t bottle up daily stressors that can lead to bigger issues down the road. Start by taking 20 minutes, in the morning or at night, to write anything that comes to mind! If it helps, start by writing about your day and let the pen do the rest. Don’t worry about spelling- just get it all out!

    Essential Oils

    Aromatherapy is a type of alternative medicine that relies on your powerful sense of smell. When inhaled, essential oils stimulate the olfactory senses and also interact with the respiratory system and brain, especially that part of the brain called the limbic system. Certain essential oils help to promote rest and relaxation, making them a great addition to your self-care tool kit. Get started with these great oils below:
    • Sleep by Everyone Essential Oils
    • Peaceful Sleep from Now® Essential Oils
    • Pillow Potion by Aura Cacia

    Pamper Yourself

    You deserve it! When life gets stressful, it’s important to take some time for yourself. A great way to do this is by taking a long bath with Epsom salt or a bath bomb, try a DIY Vanilla sugar Scrub, or indulge in your favorite treat like a glass of wine or chocolatey dessert. While these seem so simple, your body and mind will thank you.

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    Spooky Halloween Pizzas

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    Whether you’re creating a spooky slice before trick-or-treating or a fun and festive Halloween spread, make these decorative pizzas your go-to:   Pizza with ghost shapes

    Ghostly Pizza

    Ingredients:

    • Plain, or limited-topping frozen pizza (we recommend Caulipower pizza for extra veggies!)
    • Sliced mozzarella cheese
    • Black olives
    • Pizza sauce (optional)
     

    Directions:

    1. Bake pizza according to package directions.
    2. Remove pizza from oven.
    3. Spread extra pizza sauce on frozen pizza (optional, to create a spooky, red tone).
    4. Using a ghost-shaped cookie cutter, cut out shapes from cheese.
    5. Slice half of the olives in halves and the rest into small strips, use any leftover to make small dots for ghost eyes and mouth.
    6. Place ghost shapes with olive dots on the pizza.
    7. Place olive halves and strips to give it a spider look.
    8. VPut pizza back in oven for 5 minutes.
     

    Vegan Spider Web PizzaPizza with a spider web shape on it

    Ingredients:

    • Daiya Cheeze Lover’s Pizza
    • Black olives
    • Miyoko’s Vegan Mozz Ball, cut into small, rectangular strips
    • Pizza sauce (optional)

    Directions:

    1. Bake pizza according to package directions.
    2. Remove pizza from oven.
    3. Spread extra pizza sauce on pizza (optional, to create a spooky, red tone).
    4. Slice half of the olives into halves and the rest into small strips.
    5. Place strips of cheese in a spider web design.
    6. Put pizza back in oven for 5 minutes.

    No-carve Pumpkins

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    Sometimes pumpkin carving can be a messy, not to mention risky, activity. Rather than skipping out on the Halloween fun, why not try adorning your pumpkin with seeds or adding a splash of color to your festive group of gourds? We’ve rounded up some spook-tacular ways to decorate your pumpkins this season—no knife required!

    Marbled PumpkinsMarbled Pumpkin

    What you’ll need:

    • Small pumpkin, any color
    • Bowl of room-temperature water
    • Variety of nail polish
    • Toothpicks
       

    Directions:

    1. After choosing your colors, pour the nail polish into bowl as close to the water as possible to avoid the polish sinking down to the bottom of the bowl.
    2. Swirl the nail polish colors together slightly using a toothpick.
    3. Stick the pumpkin on a fork and dip the top of it into the bowl.
    4. Slowly remove and set on paper to dry (about 20 minutes).
     

    Pushpin PumpkinPushpin Pumpkin

    What you’ll need:

    • Pushpins/thumb tacks
    • Pumpkin of any size
         

    Directions:

    1. Using a pencil, lightly draw your design onto your pumpkin.
    2. Push in pins along the lines of the design.
    3. Optional: adorn with a bow.
     

    Embellished PumpkinEmbellished Pumpkin

    What you’ll need:

    • Assortment of seeds, jewels, or other decorative items
    • Craft glue or hot glue gun
    • Pumpkin, any size
         

    Directions:

    1. Using your decorative items, plan out your design on a flat surface.
    2. Begin gluing your design onto your pumpkin and let dry.

    Weekly Meal Prep Made Easy

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    Weekly Meal Prep There are a lot of benefits to meal prepping in order to create multiple meals or snacks for the upcoming week. It can reduce stress, save time and money, and help you and your loved ones eat a little healthier, too.

    Where to Start: How to Meal Prep

    Start small so you don’t feel overwhelmed. Picking something easier like snacks or breakfasts as a place to start your meal prep practice means you’re more apt to continue the new routine. Once you get the hang of it, you’ll be ready to take your meal prep to the next level adding lunches and dinners. Two super-easy make-ahead breakfasts you can try are overnight oats or chia pudding—both are packed with protein and nutrients.

    Prepping Your Meals

    The beauty of prepping is all the time you will save. In most cases, you can make multiple meals in about the same amount of time it takes to make just one. And, while you’re planning meals, think of those that can be frozen and reheated later. Making more than usual will leave you with dinners you can freeze and use when you’re in a pinch. Cooking a big batch of rice, portioning into freezer bags and freezing it is a great way to shave cooking time off weeknight meals for a fast stir-fry, fried rice or simple side dish. You’ll thank yourself later for thinking ahead now! 

    Planned Overs

    This practice is another way to ease your way into meal prep. When you’re making the evening meal, simply make extra. You can pack up the leftovers in reusable containers to save for the next day or freeze for later. Try making extra taco toppings for dinner and turn them into taco salads for the next day’s lunch. A few corn chips in a resealable baggie can be crumbled on top just before eating to create a satisfying crunch.

    Put a Lid on It

    If you don’t already have a big stash of various-sized reusable containers, you’ll want to stock up. Having both glass and plastic containers, as well as resealable bags means you’ll have just the right-sized container for everything from full dinners to individual-sized meals—that too will save you time!

    Remember …

    There is no right way to meal prep. Whether you opt to prepare and freeze multiple slow-cooker meals in resealable bags to use later in the month, make lunches for several days at a time or anything in between, any meal prep you do before your week begins will save you time and stress later. Have fun with it! Once you get the hang of it, you’ll wonder why you didn’t start sooner.

    What Can Be Composted?

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      Compost Components: person holding dirt with sprouting plant

    Did you know?

    Composting improves soil’s ability to retain water, which may help you save money on the water bill!

    Aerobic Bacteria vs. Anaerobic Bacteria

    Composting can be a carefully curated cast of characters. True, it’s easy enough to pile your leftover fruit and veggie kitchen scraps in with lawn clippings and leaves to create a basic compost. That will yield results—eventually. But if you’re interested in attaining some DIY soil a little more quickly, or curious to know more, here are some of the key characters you’ll want to become familiar with in order to direct the best production.

    The Cast of Characters

    • Compost Heroes: Aerobic Bacteria

      These little powerhouses are the star of the show. They need oxygen (aerobic) to help break down all the matter you put in your compost bin. To create nutrient-rich matter in a timely manner, you need the right environment to encourage a healthy population of these good guys.

    • The Baddies: Anaerobic Bacteria

      These guys steal the scene when the pile has gotten compacted and has little to no air flow. Because they thrive in an airless environment (anaerobic), they have the power to overwhelm the population of the aerobic bacteria. A burgeoning population of anaerobic bacteria can bring composting to a near standstill.

    • Browns: Carbonaceous Matter

      Carbon-rich matter, or browns as they’re also known, are like the carbs in the diet of those good-guy bacteria. Think of browns like the colors they often are: dried grass cuttings, dried leaves, sawdust and shredded newspaper.

    • Greens: Nitrogen-Rich Matter

      Those hero bacteria also need to consume protein—enter the nitrogen-rich matter, or greens. These are your kitchen scraps from fruits and veggies, as well as things like coffee grounds (and your coffee filters, though technically, they are a brown) and green grass clippings.

    • Water

      Water stars as herself in this mellow-drama. You’ll need the right amount of moisture to ensure your good-guy bacteria neither drown nor dehydrate.

    • Pitchfork

      This character enters to stir things up when the plot … uh, compost thickens.

    Use Your Nose

    Properly tended, compost does not smell! Rather, it does not smell bad—it should smell rich and earthy. Here are some troubleshooting tips if your compost develops an unsavory scent. An ammonia odor means you have too much nitrogen-rich, green matter. Adding some browns to the pile, like shredded newspaper, dried leaves or straw, and giving it a swirl with the pitchfork should help immensely. Also, compost that has been layered, but not turned recently can emit this eye-watering aroma. Smells like sulfurous rotting eggs? If the pile is too damp or has become too compacted the result is a distinctive undesirable odor. If it’s been layered too tightly, simply turning the pile may alleviate the odorific problem. If it’s too wet, adding some carbonaceous materials and turning the pile will help give our compost heroes, the aerobic bacteria, a chance to breathe and thrive.

    Happy Ending

    Our bacterial heroes require a proper ratio of green/nitrogen-rich to brown/carbonaceous matter or N:C. This proportion can be anywhere from 50:50 to 20:80 depending on environmental conditions and how quickly you want your pile to become useable. Additionally, they are living organisms and require a balance of air and water which you’ll achieve by turning the pile (aeration) and occasionally watering it if it becomes too dry. Ultimately, your compost pile should look like dirt when it’s done, with an earthy smell (not like decayed, rotted food) and you shouldn’t be able to recognize any of the matter you added to it earlier.

    Did you know?

    The rapid composting method, also known as the Berkeley Method, can effectively create compost in as little as 14 days!

    How to Start Composting

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    Did you know there is a difference between soil and dirt? Soil is nutrient-rich because it contains microorganisms, decaying organic matter, earthworms and other helpful insects. Dirt lacks all of those nourishing and living things. Even earthworms will not thrive in dirt—composting to the rescue! You can turn your dirt into soil with these composting steps.

    How to Start Composting: composting in the back yardWhat is Compost?

    Compost is a mixture of decaying organic material that helps to fertilize soil. At its simplest form, you can easily make compost by taking your vegetable-based kitchen scraps and yard waste like leaves and grass, putting them in a pile, and letting nature decompose it into nutrient-rich fertilizer for your house plants, garden or plants in your yard.

    1. Pile vs. Bin

    Decide whether you’re a super-DIYer and want to build a place for a compost pile in your yard or you’d rather use a bin. There are loads of simple plans for containing a compost pile online as well as various types of compost bins. Choose whichever best suits you.

    2. Placement

    You’ll want to find a spot in your yard to place your composting bin or pile. Ideally, this spot is not too sunny and easy to access from your kitchen. (The easier it is, the more apt you’ll be to continue your new composting routine!)

    3. Save up Stuff

    You’ve got your bin or pile space all situated and ready to go, now’s the time to rake your yard for dried leaves to use as the base of your pile. You’ll also want to start saving kitchen scraps of veggies and fruits. (Remember, no animal products can make their way into your compost pile!)

    4. Layering

    Ideally, you’ll want to have about three times as much dried matter to the wetter fruit and veggie scraps from your kitchen. Put down the dried matter first, then add your kitchen scraps on top. Add a layer of soil and a little water to moisten and there you have it—your beginning compost pile!

    5. Turning

    You’ll need to turn your compost from time to time. Also, if it is dry, give it a little water. If it smells, it has too much water, add some crushed leaves (not more kitchen scraps), turn it and that should do the trick! If it’s really dry, it needs to be turned and watered, or add more fruit and vegetable scraps.

    6. Ready to Use

    You’ll know your compost is ready to use when it looks like dark rich soil. Add it to your houseplants or garden—they’ll love you and so will the environment! Tip: Crushing or shredding your dried yard leaves and cutting your kitchen scraps into smaller pieces will help your compost turn into usable compost more quickly.

    Did you know?

    Crushed egg shells are the only exception to the no-animal products rule in composting. Including them in your compost pile adds calcium—an important nutrient in helping plants build cell walls!