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Creative Self Care Ideas To Kickstart Your Spring

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February 28, 2019 By Rebecca D. Dillon 1 Comment

Spring is a season of renewal. A fresh start. What better way to usher in spring than with self care? This collection of creative self care ideas are the perfect way to get your mindset where it needs to be. (And to finally tackle those New Years goals you may have fallen behind on!)

By now you’re probably familiar with the term, self care. And maybe, like many of us who have busy lives, you’ve probably pushed yourself too hard to get things done, take care of your family and bring home a paycheck. Pushing self care off to the side once again. However, as we find ourselves emerging from those winter blues that left us unengaged, overwhelmed and completely exhausted, spring provides the perfect opportunity to turn things around by practicing a number of self care ideas.

Keep reading for creative self care ideas to kickstart your spring! Plus learn how to make a decorative DIY spring mason jar to decorate your own or use for spring inspired gifts or wedding favors.

Creative Self Care Ideas for Spring

1. Visit the craft store. (This is probably one of my most favorite self care ideas of all time.) The bright colors and fun new project ideas – not to mention the walk! – are a sure fire way to bring a smile to your face. (Just avoid the floral aisle if you have allergies like I do!) I made this super cute, decorative DIY spring mason jar after a recent visit to A.C. Moore. (Keep reading to learn how to make your own!)

2. Organize your makeup – and throw out the old! Not only does the task of getting rid of old makeup save your skin from potential bacteria that can cause breakouts or worse, the act itself is grounding and therefore therapeutic. Plus it gives you the opportunity to shop for those perfect eyeshadow palettes for the new season.

Upcycle your old makeup for use in art projects, then get creative with a new look for spring. Or learn how to make your own scented unicorn eyeshadow palette!

3. Subscribe to a beauty box for a fun (and useful!) surprise every month. When all you get in the mail is bills, it can make checking your mailbox rather dreary. Treat yourself instead with your favorite beauty and skin care brands by subscribing to a monthly beauty box! For smaller budgets I love my Allure and ipsy beauty box subscriptions! However, when I have the extra money, I am all about the green friendly Love Goodly beauty box that comes every other month!

I love that sometimes I get beauty products that inspire me to be adventurous. Sometimes it’s fun to pretend we’re eight years old again, playing with mommy’s makeup box.

4. Learn a new craft! Stop playing Candy Crush Friends and get away from the television! Learning a new hobby is not only a better use of your time, it also gives you a feeling of accomplishment. Plus you can get some great new ideas for handmade gifts throughout in the year.

I love CreativeBug for learning new crafts. You can learn how to make a macrame plant hanger for spring, learn how to sew your own lingerie, learn how to draw & paint with ink or get started with meditative art journaling! Also be sure to check out Pop Shop America’s Craft In Style subscriptions boxes for monthly all-in-one craft kits. Or browse my fun collection of DIY craft kits for adults.

5. Make a homemade face mask. Not only will this improve the look and feel of your skin, but it’s a luxurious way to take a ten minute time out and do absolutely nothing at all. Choose from one of my many homemade face mask recipes. Or pick your favorite go to!

6. Read a book or magazine. Reading is one of the things that’s hardest for me to take time for. However, it’s something I really do enjoy. So take that hour and spend it reading that book you’ve had sitting on your shelf forever. Read a magazine or brush up on your favorite blogs.

Tip: Take all your favorite books with you on the go to indulge in waiting rooms or at the park with a kindle paperwhite! While paper is my passion, kindle saves my hands from cramping due to fibro. It’s a great accessory for arthritis sufferers too! The new kindle paperwhite is thinner, lighter AND waterproof – so it’s perfect poolside throughout summer.

7. Start planning your garden. Here in Southwestern Virginia we remain under a frost risk well into April. If you’re further north, that means you also have a wait before you can actually plant your veggies in the ground. That doesn’t mean you can’t plan your garden now! Decide which veggies or flowers you want to grow and draw up a mock garden bed. You can even start your seeds indoors to get a head start! Buy a garden planner to get started. Or shop for your favorite gardening supplies!

8. Dance your heart out. It doesn’t matter if you do it in your living room while watching YouTube, in the kitchen while you’re cooking or in a club to your favorite live band. Just dance! Not only will it help you sneak in a bit of cardio time, it’ll also boost those happy endorphins that will further energize you and bring a smile to your face!

Now that you’ve read my favorite creative self care ideas, I’d love to hear some of yours. So be sure to share your favorite self care ideas in the comments. Also be sure to check out my super easy tutorial below for crafting your own mini decorative spring mason jar! It’s just another fun self care idea to try to kickstart your spring!

Mini Decorative DIY Spring Mason Jar

This mini decorative DIY spring mason jar is so simple to make. In 10-minutes or less you can create a decorative mini mason jar that’s perfect for decorating your small spaces. You can also use these cute little mason jars for storage to stash trinkets like jewelry and rings. Or utilize them as pretty canisters for your homemade bath salts or Easter treats this spring. While I used mini hinged jars for this DIY home decor project, you can recreate this DIY idea on storage or mason jars of any size!

Ready to get started?

First choose your jar. Then choose a small feathered bird to fit the size of the mason jar you’ve chosen. Now pick a collection of paper flowers or 3D stickers that work well with the colors you’ve chosen elsewhere. I used Little Birdie flowers and Little Birdie mini succulents. You’ll also need a strong glue that adheres to the surface of your jar. I used E6000 – my typical go to for bonding everything to everything else.

For the next step, you’ll begin by gluing the flowers onto the lid of your storage or mason jar. (I also glued a mini succulent to the inner bottom of my jar.)

Continue working by gluing more flowers in layers onto the lid of your jar. You’ll want to leave a small space in the center for your bird to nest.

Finally, glue the bird onto the lid of the jar. Once you’re sure the bird is firmly glued down, set the jar aside to allow the glue to dry and cure. (E6000 requires 48-72 hours to cure.)

Once the glue on your mason jar has cured, your decorative spring mason jar is ready to use!

For more self care ideas you can practice throughout the year, be sure to visit Soap Deli News here. Also follow my boards on Pinterest for more great spring craft ideas and wellness tips.

For more great DIY ideas from Soap Deli News, sign up for my semi-weekly newsletter. You can also follow me on facebook, twitter, pinterestand instagram.

Filed Under: Decorating, DIY Craft Project, Handmade Home, Health & Wellness, Homemade Gift Ideas, Lifestyle Tagged With: 10-minute crafts, crafts, decorating, decorative jar, diy, Easter, easy, favors, home decor, mason jar, party favor, self care, spring, storage, wedding favor

DIY Glitter Galaxy Unicorn Soap

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February 20, 2019 By Rebecca D. Dillon 1 Comment

We can all use a little more magic in our lives. Bring some of that magic into your shower with this DIY glitter galaxy unicorn soap. Made with a ridiculous amount of eco-glitter, this unicorn soap recipe offers a fun spin on galaxy soaps. And, because it’s made using melt and pour soap base, anyone can tackle this project as a fun weekend DIY.

Sometimes you don’t FEEL like a unicorn.

It’s easy to forget sometimes, especially in times of emotional turmoil, that we are all magical creatures. Since sneaking into my forties, my life has been wrought with its fair share of chaos. Not only is this (middle?) age thing a tough pill to swallow, it’s also brought with it an array of unexpected side effects. Wrinkles, thinning skin, weight gain – and this crazy thing called perimenopause.

I don’t remember my mom ever going through the change before the change. She had a hysterectomy (due to an abnormally heavy menstrual cycle) when I was in high school. So perimenopause – or even menopause – was not a subject that ever came up in those mother daughter talks. Recently I did garner a discussion with her on the topic. As it turned out, my mother started hormone therapy at some point surround her hysterectomy. “Because I was bitchy all the time. Don’t you remember?” “I mean, no? You’re my mother. It’s your job to be occasionally bitchy.”

Sadly, my mother’s need to always be pleasant and helpful resulted in FIFTEEN years of prescription hormone pills. (Made from horse urine, mind you.) That’s ten years longer than is recommended. Of course, her doctor assured her she’d be fine. She wasn’t.

My mother ended up with cervical cancer.

Luckily, surgery seemed to handle the unfortunate consequence of being over-prescribed hormones. Chemo, thankfully, was decided against due to the high probability of toxicity at her age. And later genetic testing put her at almost zero risk of developing other cancers later in life.

The sheer fact, however, that my mother took a prescription to tamper her mood – up to the point it gave her cancer – has stuck with me. Are we, as women, not supposed to be angry? Because there are days I am outraged over so many things. And when women are angry, men say we’re crazy. But we aren’t crazy. We’re coping with life while there’s a war raging inside us.

Recently I learned that it’s NORMAL for perimenopause to cause difficulty sleeping, irritability, loss of libido, vaginal dryness, irregular periods, mood swings, anxiety and depression. In addition, it can also cause RAGE. And for those of us who had severe PMS growing up, in addition to prior episodes of depression or other mental health problems, perimenopause rage is COMMON. And the science backs it up. (Source.)

When we, as women, transition into perimenopause, we also experience (unfamiliar) changes in estrogen. These estrogen changes then directly affect the serotonin levels in our brains. As I’m sure you’re aware, serotonin is a chemical in our brains that regulates mood. When it’s up, we feel happy and elated. Yet when it’s down, we are sad, irritable and depressed. As our estrogen fluctuates throughout this period known as perimenopause, it throws off our estrogen-serotonin balance. This in turn causes a decline in our emotions. So we feel sad. We cry for no reason. Or we’re just really really angry. (Source.)

So, yes. I’ve had quite a few days, especially when those days are coupled with chronic pain, where I feel like I’m going mad. Some days I feel like giving up. I cry over songs and television shows. Other days I’m just pissed at the whole world. (And yes, my ex-husband in particular.) Days that I forget, yes, I am still as magical as a unicorn, even if I don’t feel like it.

Making my glitter galaxy unicorn soap, then seeing it when I take my shower in the mornings, reminds me I am more than just how I feel in that single moment. And in the end, I’ll survive whatever comes my way. (And so will you!)

Glitter Galaxy Unicorn Soap Recipe

Ingredients:

13.5 oz. white melt and pour soap base
5.7 oz. clear melt and pour soap base
.2 oz. fragrance oil, of choice
purple mica or soap colorant, to suit
eco-friendly biodegradable cosmetic glitter, to suit

Materials & Tools:

Rainbows & Unicorns Silicone Unicorn Mold
Digital scale
Glass Pyrex measuring cups
Utensils, for stirring
Spray bottle with isopropyl (rubbing) alcohol

Instructions:

I used the same awesome unicorn mold for my DIY glitter galaxy unicorn soap as my super sparkly DIY unicorn air fresheners I made for Galentine’s Day. So if you already have this mold, you’re all set. Otherwise, you get this mold in two days via Amazon. Or you can simply adjust the recipe to fit inside an existing unicorn mold you already have. (Just fill one of the mold cavities with soap base, weigh once it’s hardened, then go from there.)

Begin by weighing out 13.5 oz. of white melt and pour soap base. Cut the base into chunks, then combine in a large glass Pyrex measuring cup. Heat in the microwave in 30-second increments, stirring after each heating, until melted. Once melted, mix in your choice of skin safe purple soap colorant as recommended by the manufacturer. Then stir in .15 oz. fragrance oil. (I used this vanilla free Pomegranate Noir fragrance oil.)

Now pour the melted soap base into each of the six cavities of your unicorn mold. (Each cavity should be around 3/4th of the way full.) Then spritz the top of the soap with isopropyl (rubbing) alcohol to remove any air bubbles.

Set the mold aside and allow the soap to fully harden.

Once the base for your unicorn soap has set up, you’re ready to move on to the next step. Weigh out 5.7 oz. of clear melt and pour soap base. Cut into chunks, then combine in a glass Pyrex measuring cup. Heat the clear soap base in the same manner as the white soap base. Then, once melted, weigh out and stir in .05 oz. fragrance oil.

Now dust spritz the top of the soap in your mold with isopropyl alcohol. Dust with glitter as desired.

Spritz with alcohol once more, then gently pour about half of the clear melted soap base into the unicorn mold. Dust the soap with additional glitter, then pour the rest of soap base into the mold. Spray the top of the soap with alcohol to remove any air bubbles.

Next, use a utensil to lift the glitter up into the clear base as it cools to create a layering effect. While still fluid, spray the top of the unicorn soap once more with isopropyl alcohol. Then dust with a final layer of glitter.

Once the glitter galaxy unicorn soaps have solidified fully, remove the soaps from the mold.

Then wrap each unicorn soap tightly in foodservice film until ready to use.

More Unicorn Soap & Beauty Recipes

If you like my DIY glitter galaxy unicorn soap, then you may also like some of my other unicorn bath & beauty recipes.

For more homemade soap recipes, as well as natural beauty and skin recipes, be sure to sign up for my semi-weekly email newsletter. You can also follow me on Pinterest, twitter, facebook and instagram.

Filed Under: Soapmaking Tagged With: bath and body, bath tutorial, crafts, diy, easy, glitter, melt and pour soap recipe, melt and pour soapmaking, perimenopause, soap tutorial, unicorn

Easy Melt And Pour Soap Recipe with Solid Sugar Scrub Hearts

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February 10, 2019 By Rebecca D. Dillon Leave a Comment

Whether you’ve been making soap for some time, or you’re wanting to learn how to make soap, this easy melt and pour soap recipe is the perfect soap making project! Crafted using both clear and white melt and pour soap bases, this easy soap recipe features a solid sugar scrub heart in the center to exfoliate skin as you bathe. Learn how to make this easy melt and pour soap recipe now as a treat for yourself or to give as year round soap gifts for anniversaries, birthdays and holidays.

An Easy Melt and Pour Soap Recipe with A Twist

I’ve always been a sucker for sugar scrubs. Not only are they easy to make, but my dry skin loves the extra attention. Unfortunately, when I first started using sugar scrubs, I almost killed my first husband. This was well before emulsified sugar scrubs were popular. Back when Bath & Body Works had just started selling their original brown sugar scrubs. You remember the ones. They were basically oil and sugar and nothing else. And everyone lined up to try them on their dry hands at sink stations they had set up inside of their stores.

When I first started making sugar scrubs in the way way back, they were just like the ones sold by Bath & Body Works. All oils and sugar. One day in particular, I used one of the homemade sugar scrubs I’d made. My ex-husband, then followed with his own shower. A shower in which, when stepping into the tub, he slipped on the film of oils left behind by my sugar scrub – and almost died.

To be completely honest, I don’t think he was anywhere close to death at the time. Not like when he went to replace the heating element in the oven and forgot to unplug the stove first. That mistake threw him halfway across the kitchen. This time around however, he “nearly” fell, slipping on the oil residue in the tub. Luckily he caught himself mid-fall, just in the knick of time. Of course, however, he insisted he almost and most certainly could have died. So I’ve since stayed on top of wiping out the bottom of my bathtub after every sugar scrub experience.

Solid sugar scrub cubes, however, are an easy fix to the slippery tub scenario. And, when combined with an easy melt and pour soap recipe, the combo becomes an instant time saver. So you can wash and exfoliate in one easy step – even if you hit snooze on your alarm clock five times before finally dragging yourself out of bed.

Easy Melt and Pour Soap Recipe (With Solid Sugar Scrub Hearts)

Instructions:

This easy melt and pour soap recipe with solid sugar scrub hearts yields ten soaps weighing around 4 oz. each.

Step #1:

You’ll start by making the solid sugar scrub heart embeds for my easy melt and pour soap recipe first. To do this, use a digital scale to weigh out 3.5 oz. of clear melt and pour soap base. Cut the base into chunks with a sharp knife, then combine in a glass measuring cup.

Step #2:

Now weigh out the 1.25 oz. of refined shea butter. Add to the measuring cup with the soap chunks. Then heat in 30 second increments in the microwave until both ingredients have melted. (I recommend stirring after each heating.)

Step #3:

Cut off a small chunk of the color bar and stir into the melted shea butter and soap mixture until it dissolves completely. Add more color as desired. (Keep in mind that the color will be muted once the sugar is added and the soap base solidifies.)

Step #4:

Now stir in some glitter. You can use as little or as much glitter for this step as you like.

Step #5:

Weigh out .25 oz. of fragrance oil, then stir into the melted soap mixture.

Step #6:

Next, weigh out 5 oz. of sugar. Pour the sugar into the melted soap and shea butter mixture. Then mix well with a fork or other utensil until all the ingredients are thoroughly combined.

Step #7:

Pour the solid sugar scrub mixture into ten of the cavities of your heart silicone mold. Then smooth out the tops with a fork or spatula.

Step #8:

Set the solid sugar scrub hearts aside to cool. Once they’ve solidified fully, unmold the heart embeds.

Step #9:

Now that you’ve made the solid sugar scrub heart embeds, you’re ready to move onto the next step and make the easy melt and pour soap recipe. To do this, weigh out 30 oz. of white melt and pour soap base. Cut into chunks then heat in 30 second increments in the microwave until melted.

Step #10:

Once the white soap base has melted, weigh out 1.25 oz. of the fragrance oil. Then stir the fragrance oil into the melted soap base.

Step #11:

Pour the melted soap base into ten of the cavities of the round soap mold. Fill each cavity about halfway full. (You will have some soap left over. Simply set this aside for use later. Alternatively, you can make half now and half later.) Then spritz the tops of the soaps you just poured with isopropyl alcohol to remove any air bubbles.

Step #12:

Once the white melt and pour soap in your round mold has solidified, Spritz the tops of the soaps once again with alcohol. Then place each of your solid sugar scrub hearts on top of the white soap. Use one heart in each of the ten cavities of the mold.

Step #13:

Reheat the remaining white soap base if necessary. Then spritz the soaps in the mold with isopropyl alcohol once again. Next, carefully pour the remaining soap into each of the ten cavities of the mold around each of the heart embeds. Once you’ve poured the soap around the hearts and filled the cavities of the mold you’re using, spritz alcohol on the tops of the soaps to remove any air bubbles. Set the soaps aside to solidify.

Step #14:

Once the soaps have cooled and fully hardened, unmold them. Then wrap them tightly in foodservice film until ready for use.

To use your easy melt and pour soaps, simply massage onto to damp skin in the shower or bath as you’d normally bathe – scrub side up.

More to Explore

If you like my easy melt and pour soap recipe, then you’ll also love this easy perfume tutorial with free printables to give as gifts to friends, family and loved ones. Or explore all of my DIY Valentine’s Day gift ideas here.

For more easy melt and pour soap recipes, as well as natural bath and beauty recipes, sign up for my semi-weekly email newsletter. You can also follow me on Pinterest, facebook and instagram.

Filed Under: Bath & Beauty Recipes, Holiday DIY, Homemade Gift Ideas, Soapmaking Tagged With: crafts, easy, gift idea, heart, melt and pour soap recipe, melt and pour soapmaking, self care, soap tutorial, soapmaking, solid sugar cube scrubs, sugar scrub recipe, Valentine's Day, Valentine's Day gifts, weekend project

DIY Air Fresheners with Essential Oils – Unicorn Style!

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January 23, 2019 By Rebecca D. Dillon 7 Comments

We don’t need a guy to remind us how awesome we are just because it’s Valentine’s Day. However, sometimes it’s nice getting that extra bit of reassurance from our friends. Remind your BFFs how magical they are with these wax unicorn DIY air fresheners for Galentine’s Day. Scented with natural essential oils, these unicorn air fresheners are perfect for musty closets or to use as drawer sachets. Or hang them in a sunny kitchen window.

These DIY air fresheners are super easy to make. They’re also the perfect reminder that, yes, we DO sparkle every single day! (Even if we don’t always realize it.)

Do you believe in (YOUR) magic?

I was the lucky girl who got an awesome unicorn mold for Christmas from my boyfriend. While my first thought was to make unicorn soap, I’m excited that my first project for this mold was actually for Galentine’s Day gifts. Of course, actually completing this project didn’t go off without a hitch. The one day I’m ready to put this project to paper (or wax in this case) I realized that I wasn’t able to dig my beeswax out of storage.

We are currently living in a shoebox, as I like to call it. Therefore, most of my craft supplies are stacked in crates. These crates are pretty heavy. They are also stacked in pairs of two on top of our kitchen cabinets. Because of their height and weight, my stash of beeswax was completely unattainable. And my boyfriend, of course, was at work. So I did what every crafty girl does. I improvised.

I still had a bit of white cosmetic beeswax leftover from last month’s Simply Earth box within easy reach. So I used the rest of that beeswax for this project. I also grabbed the only other workable ingredient I had within reach – stearic acid.

Similar to a wax, stearic acid is a solid saturated fatty acid obtained from either animals or vegetable fats. This waxy substance is a common ingredient in soaps, cosmetics and detergents. In my case, I keep vegetable-based stearic acid on hand to use as an emulsifying agent for lotions, creams and deodorants. Luckily, it also worked well as an ingredient for my wax-based DIY air fresheners.

While you can create my DIY air fresheners with simply essential oils and beeswax, the stearic acid does raise the melting the point slightly. This in turn allows you to use a bit more in the way of essentials oils to scent your DIY air fresheners if you’re so inclined.

Waxes and their melting points.

Beeswax has a melting point of around 144°F. While stearic acid melts at about 150°F. However, if you prefer to make vegan DIY air fresheners, you can substitute the beeswax in this recipe for candelilla wax, which melts at around 154°F. Just keep in mind that candelilla wax is yellow. Therefore its natural color will have an impact on your finished DIY air fresheners.

Alternately carnauba wax, which is also yellow, has a melting point of 180°F, and can be used in place of the beeswax. Just keep in mind that the pour and cleanup may be a bit trickier due to its higher melting point.

Get your glitter on.

Of course, you can’t have unicorn air fresheners without some sparkle and glitter! I used a purple mica to tint my DIY air fresheners. I also included both electric blue and chunky bubblegum eco-friendly glitter to give these wax unicorn air fresheners some bling. A bit of star ribbon that I scored from the Target Dollar Spot over Christmas then gave my DIY unicorn air fresheners that extra bit of magic.

Wax Unicorn DIY Air Fresheners

Supplies & Materials:

Rainbows & Unicorns Silicone Unicorn Mold
.75 oz. white cosmetic beeswax
.75 oz. stearic acid
.35 oz. essential oil, of choice
mica powder, to suit
eco-friendly glitter, to suit
ribbon, of choice
chopsticks

Tips & Tricks:

Keep in mind that the color of your DIY air fresheners will appear darker when the wax is melted. Once the wax air fresheners solidify, the white color of the wax will lighten the final color.
The mica and glitter you use for this project will sink somewhat toward the bottom of the mold. This means that the front and back of your wax unicorn air fresheners may be different shades. In my case, the front of my unicorn air fresheners were purple, while the backs were a more subdued pink.
Because most of the glitter will sink to the bottom of the mold, you may want to sprinkle a bit of glitter onto your DIY air fresheners once you’ve poured them into the mold. This will give the backside of your wax air fresheners that extra bling they won’t have otherwise.
You can use your favorite essential oil or essential oil blend for your DIY air fresheners. I recommend cedarwood essential oil for closets. Or try lavender essential oil for the unicorn drawer sachets. Want to hang your unicorn wax air fresheners in your kitchen? Try a bright, fresh fragrance like lemongrass! Alternately, you can also use your favorite fragrance oil.
Depending on what you have on hand, you can use all beeswax, all stearic acid or all some other wax. Mixing wax with stearic acid isn’t the only way to make these.

Instructions:

Weigh out the beeswax and stearic acid using a digital scale. Combine in a double boiler and heat over medium-low heat until melted. Once melted, weigh out the essential oil and stir into the melted wax. Remove from heat, then stir in your choice of mica and glitter.

Evenly pour the melted wax into two cavities of the unicorn mold. Wait about 30-60 seconds. Then position a chopstick in the wax of the first wax air freshener toward the top of the unicorn’s head. Hold the chopstick in place, pushing the chopstick toward the bottom of the mold. Do this for about 15 – 30 seconds or until the chopstick stays in place of its own fruition. Then repeat this process with a second chopstick for the other wax unicorn air freshener.

Once the wax has solidified and starts to pull away from the edge of the mold cavities, remove the air fresheners from the mold.

Push the chopsticks forward through the front of the unicorn air fresheners, if needed, so the hole goes completely through from front to back.

Then remove the chopsticks.

Now thread ribbon through the holes of your DIY air fresheners. You can use a chopstick to help push the ribbon through the hole.

Your wax unicorn DIY air fresheners are now ready to scent your home or to gift to your BFF for Galentine’s Day!

More Galentine’s Day Gift Ideas

If you’re looking for more Galentine’s Day gift ideas, be sure to check out these other home inspired scent ideas that your friends will love!

DIY Vanilla & Rose Reed Diffusers

These DIY vanilla rose diffusers with essential oils from Country Hill Cottage are the perfect way to fragrance a room and they make adorable gifts for your BFF. The indulgent scents of rose and vanilla create a romantic and relaxed atmosphere and will lift your mood. The best part is that DIY diffusers are only made with natural ingredients and you have full control over what goes into them. So you can feel good about this unique DIY Galentine’s Day gifts. Learn to make them here.

DIY Soy Wax Dipped Roses

These soy wax dipped roses from Everything Pretty make a great Galentine’s Day gift for your gal pal that’s allergic to the real deal. These are popular around Valentine’s Day, but they can be displayed at any time. Dipped in naturally scented soy wax, these faux flower roses have a natural fragrance that lightly scents any room. Learn to make them here.

Chocolate & Roses DIY Room Spray

Your BFF will go gaga over this natural DIY room spray from A Life Adjacent for Galentine’s Day! (And don’t forget to make extra for yourself!) This chocolate and roses room spray captures the romantic scent of roses and chocolate – without any artificial scents. Your entire home will be filled with the delicious, fragrant aroma of dark chocolate and fresh roses. Learn to make it here.

Now that you’ve made something amazing for your gal pals, learn how to make more great giftable crafts and bath and beauty recipes! Sign up for my semi-weekly newsletter to receive updates when new projects are available. You can also follow me on Pinterest, facebook and instagram.

Filed Under: DIY Craft Project, Gift Guides, Handmade Home, Holiday DIY, Homemade Gift Ideas, Lifestyle Tagged With: air freshener recipe, beeswax, crafts, diy, easy, essential oils, Galentine's day, gift idea, gift ideas for teens, gift ideas for women, homemaking, sachet, stearic acid, unicorn, Valentine's Day, Valentine's Day gifts

Alcohol Ink Ornaments DIY (Video Tutorial for the Holidays)

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December 18, 2018 By Rebecca D. Dillon Leave a Comment

Alcohol ink ornaments are not only a beautiful way to decorate your Christmas tree or winter wreath, they’re also incredibly quick and easy to make. Keep reading to learn how to make your own DIY alcohol ink ornaments. Plus a fun video tutorial on how to make alcohol ink ornaments from my fellow friend, artist and teacher, Hillary Hardison.

Alcohol ink ornaments are so beautiful. So I assumed they would be a challenge to make. I was SO wrong. Truth be told, you can actually make your own DIY alcohol ink ornaments from start to finish in just 10-minutes or less. So if you block out just an hour or two over the weekend, you can create a dozen of your own unique alcohol ink ornaments for your Christmas tree or winter holiday wreath.

Not only will these handmade ornaments make your Christmas tree pop, they are also perfect to give as last minute holiday gifts. Simply customize them with the year or a family name using a paint pen for an easy keepsake ornament that can be treasured for years to come.

My friend Hillary locally teaches a once monthly class dubbed Wine & Art Wednesdays. She’s been teaching these classes for some time now. Her latest class, however, was the most popular ever!

For this class she taught a sold out crowd how to make alcohol ink ornaments. Hillary was kind enough to allow me to video the process for my readers so you can also join in the fun! Keep reading for written instructions on how to make DIY alcohol ink ornaments. Then be sure to watch Hillary’s video tutorial (from her class) on how to make alcohol ink ornaments at the end of this post.

How to Make DIY Alcohol Ink Ornaments

Supplies & Materials:

Alcohol Ink, In Colors of Choice
Clear Glass Ball Ornaments
Compressed Air Duster
Ribbon, Beads & Hooks, optional

Tips & Tricks:

You do need non-porous ornaments for this project. That means no plastic. Therefore, clear glass ornaments, like those found in craft stores, are perfect for making alcohol ink ornaments.

If desired, you may want to create color cheat sheets for your alcohol inks. Simply add a drop of each of your colors to a strip a paper. Then label the colors used. This helps you know exactly what the colors are going to look like out of the bottle as so many colors appear much darker while bottled.

Additionally, it’s important to know that unlike paint, alcohol inks do not blend with one another. So mixing two colors together inside of your ornament will actually cause the colors to push away from one another rather than combine.

Also keep in mind that less is more. You really only need a small amount of alcohol ink to coat the inside of your alcohol ink ornaments. However, there is a fix should disaster strike.

One of Hillary’s students ended with a small pool of ink in her ornament once she’d achieved a design she liked. To remove the excess ink, she thinly rolled up a small section from a paper towel. She then dipped the paper towel into the ornament to soak up and remove the excess ink from the bottom of her ornament.

Instructions:

Cover your workspace with a plastic tablecloth or paper to protect your work surface. If desired, you may also want to wear gloves and a craft apron to prevent staining clothing and skin. If desired, do as we did and pour yourself a glass of wine. And grab a friend too! They always make everything more fun.

Once you’ve gathered all your materials, you’ll begin by simply diving in! Take a sip of wine, cock a grin at your BFF, then ready your gun – er, compressed air. (Just don’t shake the can!)

Remove the top from a glass ornament. Now add a small amount of alcohol ink to the inside of your ornament. Using the compressed air, you’ll then spray air into the ornament in short bursts. You can direct where the ink goes by simply aiming the air in different directions.

Now add your second color and repeat the process. (Keep in mind, however, that the ink for alcohol ink ornaments dries very quickly.) Continue adding ink and air until you get the look you’re after. As there really are no rules, feel free to experiment your heart out!

Discover design ideas for your DIY alcohol ink ornaments here.

Place your finished alcohol ink ornaments back inside the carton they came in, or in another safe location, so they don’t accidentally roll off the table and break. (Wait.. did I suggest drinking wine and playing with glass at the same time? Whatever. You’re a grown ass woman. You’ll be fine.)

Once your DIY alcohol ornaments have dried completely, reinsert the tops. You can then add hooks to your ornaments and decorate them with beads or ribbon as desired.

Now, without further ado, Hillary’s awesome (and unedited) video tutorial on how to make alcohol ink ornaments! (I love this woman!)

To learn more about Hillary and her work you can find her on Facebook and via her website. Or, if you’re local or plan to visit the Roanoke Valley, you can find a schedule of events at the Aurora Artisans Studio & Frameshop here.

For more winter holiday ideas & crafts, be sure to check out this Pinterest board. Or discover more holiday DIY’s on the blog here. Also, don’t forget. If you’ve made a project from a tutorial or recipe on Soap Deli News, I want to see it! Simply tag your photos with #soapdelishowoff on instagram.

Filed Under: DIY Craft Project, Handmade Home, Holiday DIY, Homemade Gift Ideas Tagged With: alcohol ink, art, art class, Christmas gift, Christmas ornament, christmas tree, crafts, diy, easy, gift idea, glass ornament, holiday gift, holidays, ornaments

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