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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

Wildflower Bath Tea Recipe (With Free Printable Labels for Gift Giving)

November 1, 2018 By cottagegirls 4 Comments

This natural wildflower bath tea recipe from guest blogger Irena of Country Hill Cottage is perfect for year round self care! Crafted using natural herbs and essential oils, this fragrant bath tea makes lovely addition for a spa day at home. Or gift the finished product as relaxing homemade gift for someone special.

Wildflower Bath Tea

Can you think of anything more relaxing than a hot bath? With winter around the corner, a soothing soak in the bathtub is a must, and my fragrant wildflower bath tea is a great way to relax and care for your skin.

This all-natural and vegan bath tea is made with rolled oats, Dead Sea salt, dried herbs and flowers, and essential oils. The bath tea is a great skincare product for year-round and a lovely addition for a spa day at home. It also makes the perfect relaxing gift for someone special.

I packaged the bath tea in pretty mason jars and organza bags. Printable labels and gift tags for decorating are also included. I hope this bath tea will make your bath even more enjoyable and you’ll add it your wellness routine.

Much love from Britain,
Irena xx

What’s in the wildflower bath tea?

Before diving into whipping up a batch, let’s talk about the ingredients for a moment.

Rolled oats create a mild foam and its cleansing and moisturizing properties clear and hydrate the skin.
Dead Sea salt and soda soften the skin and relieve sore muscles. The high magnesium content in Dead Sea salt also helps the skin to absorb and bind moisture better.
Dried chamomile and calendula petals reduce inflammation and redness and can promote the healing of minor wounds.
Lavender essential oil is well known for its calming qualities, as well as relieving pain and soothing your skin.
Geranium essential oil not only smells incredibly uplifting (seriously, take a sniff and think of summer flowers!), it also acts as a muscle toner and boosts skin health.
Melissa essential oil, a recent favorite of mine, has strong antibacterial and antifungal properties and therefore benefits the health of the skin.

You can make this bath tea your own by adding even more dried more flowers, such as corn flower or rose petals, lavender buds, forget-me-nots, or jasmine, or swap out the essential oils according to your personal preferences.

How to package and gift your wildflower bath tea.

DIY bath tea is a thoughtful little present for natural skincare lovers. Use it as a stocking filler (holiday season *hint, hint*) or an eco-friendly and inexpensive wedding favor. You could also include the bath tea with other homemade beauty products in a DIY spa hamper.

I packaged the bath tea in adorable 4-oz quilted mason jars. Cotton bags or organza gift bags are another way to pack and use the bath tea.

My sister Cyna, who blogs with me over on Country Hill Cottage, created printable labels that you can use to decorate and gift the bath tea. Use the larger labels as jar toppers for the mason jars and tie the smaller ones as gift tags to a cotton or organza bag.

Wildflower Bath Tea Recipe

Ingredients:

For the Wildflower Bath Tea

5 tbsp rolled oats
2 tbsp Dead Sea salt
2 tbsp dried chamomile
1 tbsp soda
1 – 2 tbsp dried flower petals (e.g. cornflower, calendula, lavender buds, rose petals)

Essential Oils

3 drops lavender essential oil
2 drops geranium essential oil
2 melissa (lemon balm) essential oil

For Packaging & Gift Giving

4-oz quilted mason jars
small cotton or organza bags with drawstrings (approx. 3 in x 5 in / 9 cm x 12 cm)
printable labels
ribbon or twine (optional)

Instructions:

1) Mix the dry ingredients.

Put the dry ingredients into mixing bowl and combine.

2) Add the essential oils.

Drip the essential oils on a small spoon and then stir into the dry ingredients until well absorbed.

3) Pack the bath tea.

Fill the bath tea into cotton bags, organza bags, or small mason jars.

Tip: The recipe makes enough for 2 cotton/organza bag or 1 4-oz jar. I usually triple or quadruple the ingredients for gift giving and store the bath tea in an airtight container or jar until needed.

How to use your wild flower bath tea:

There are two ways you can use this bath tea. You can either throw the bath tea mix directly into the bathwater, which might be a bit messy to clean up afterwards as oats and herbs won’t dissolve in the water.

Or place one cotton/organza bag in a warm bath and relax in the tea bath for 10 to 20 minutes. I also recommend adding 2 tbsp carrier oil (e.g. coconut, sweet almond, or olive oil) to the bathwater, so the essential oils are better absorbed by your skin.

Shelf life and storage:

You can keep the bath tea for about 1 year. It’s important to store it in a dry place, so the rolled oats don’t draw moisture and get moldy.

Print the labels for seasonal gift giving:

Print the labels on letter-sized or A4 cardstock or photo paper and out along the outline. To use the labels as jar toppers, place the metal disk on the jar. Then put the printable label on top and screw the metal band tightly on. To create gift tags, punch a hole into a label and attach to a bag using a piece of ribbon or twine.

If you liked this wildflower bath tea recipe, then also try my relaxing bath oil and check out more DIY skin care and beauty ideas over at my site. You can also connect with me on Pinterest, YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

Filed Under: Bath & Beauty Recipes, Health & Wellness, Homemade Gift Ideas, Printables Tagged With: bath tea, beauty, diy spa, eco-friendly, essential oils, gift idea, herbal, herbal baths, natural skin care, printable labels, printables, self care, spa recipes, stocking stuffers, wedding favor

DIY Bundt Cake Salt Scrub Wedding Favors

November 8, 2017 By Rebecca D. Dillon

Winter weddings are so magical! Add to that magic with these DIY bundt cake salt scrub wedding favors! Dusted with sparkling silver eco-friendly glitter, these mini bundt cake shaped solid salt scrubs will add an elegant touch to your wedding table while also delighting guests!

Don’t simply reserve this fun DIY project just for wedding favors though! You can make these anytime of the year for homemade gifts or simply to enjoy yourself at home! I love tucking these into my suitcase for a little luxury when I travel as well.

Solid Bundt Cake Salt Scrub Wedding Favors Recipe

Ingredients:

6 oz. Epsom salt
5 oz. kokum butter
2 oz. refined shea butter
.5 oz. refined/clear jojoba oil
2.5 mL polysorbate 80, optional
1 mL fragrance oil
1/4 teaspoon purple mica powder
1/4 teaspoon fine cosmetic turquoise biodegradable glitter
fine cosmetic silver biodegradable glitter, to suit
Stephenson white melt & pour soap base, to suit

Instructions:

To make these DIY bundt cake salt scrub wedding favors, begin by using a digital scale to weigh out the kokum butter and shea butter. Combine in a large glass Pyrex measuring cup, then heat in the microwave at 30% power until melted. Alternately you can also use a double boiler.

Remove from heat, then weigh out and stir in the jojoba oil.

Next, using a graduated transfer pipette, measure out the polysorbate 80 as well as the fragrance oil and stir into the wet ingredients.

In a separate container, weigh out the Epsom salt. Now use a measuring spoon to measure out the mica powder and the turquoise glitter and mix into the salt until thoroughly combined.

Pour the colored salt into the wet ingredients and mix well with a fork until both salt and color are even throughout the wet salt scrub base.

Place the container filled with your salt scrub either in the refrigerator or freezer just until it starts to thicken up and the salt stays suspended when remixed.

Mix the salt scrub again, then fill the cavities a mini bundt cake pan of your choice with a cavity diameter of between 1.5″ and 1.75″. (The mini bundt pan mold I used had cavities with a diameter of 1.75″ each. This recipe made eight solid bundt cake salt scrubs.)

Allow the salt scrubs to fully harden then remove from the mold. Then place them on a small plate or cutting board and put them in the freezer.

Now cut an ounce or two of white melt and pour base into chunks and combine in a small scientific glass beaker. Heat in 10-15 second increments in the microwave until melted, then set aside to cool slightly.

When the soap base has thickened slightly but is still pourable, remove the solid bundt cake salt scrubs from the freezer. Mix a small amount of silver glitter into the base, then pour the soap base across the tops of the salt scrubs in several directions so it looks like icing. (If the soap sinks into the salt scrubs, stop, refreeze the scrubs and let the soap cool off further.)

If desired, you can also dust the tops of the solid salt scrubs with additional glitter to suit.

Carefully run a knife under your salt scrubs to remove them from the cutting board.

Then package your solid bundt cake salt scrub wedding favors by placing each one in a mini acrylic cake stand with a lid. (You can purchase mini cake stands along with other packaging materials for your wedding favors from beaucoop.) If desired tie a ribbon and tag around the top of the lid.

To use, simply massage onto damp skin in the shower or bath, then rinse and pat dry.

You can find more wedding favor ideas to buy or DIY here. Also be sure to follow my DIY Wedding Pinterest board for more great wedding ideas.

Or, to discover more from Soap Deli News, be sure to follow me via your favorite social media platforms including Pinterest, Facebook, Twitter, Blog Lovin’, and Instagram. You can also subscribe to Soap Deli News via email for future updates, DIY projects and recipes.

Filed Under: Bath & Beauty Recipes, Weddings Tagged With: bath and body, bath tutorial, bundt cake, crafts, diy, favor, party favor, salt scrub, salt scrub recipe, skin care, solid salt scrub, wedding, wedding favor

Soap Wedding Favors – Buy Them or DIY Them!

April 3, 2017 By Rebecca D. Dillon

Soap wedding favors. Whether you buy them or DIY them, they are always a great choice because everyone can use them!

So if you’re planning a wedding for this summer, fall, winter or even spring of next year, consider telling your guests thank you with soap wedding favors.

If you’re brave enough to embark on making your own custom soap wedding favors for your wedding (or for someone else’s) then my soap wedding favor tutorial will guide you through the process! Within this blog post you’ll learn how to make natural mango & coconut milk soap soap wedding favors with labels!

Included within my soap wedding wedding favors tutorial are two recipes for making natural mango & coconut milk soap. There’s a luxury soap recipe as well as a budget soap recipe. Simply choose the version that works best for your budget.

However, if you find these recipes a bit intimidating, or if you’ve never made soap before, then you can also give my beginner’s soap recipe a try.

In addition to the soap recipes in my tutorial, I’ve also included step-by-step written instructions on how to create custom labels for your soap wedding favors. My custom label tutorial also includes screenshots of each step along with information for obtaining free software you can use. There are also links to beautiful wedding themed clipart that’s available to customize your soap wedding favors even further.

If it all still seems a bit challenging, you can also find a label template to work with on Canva. Or you can design and have your labels printed through a 3rd party like StickerYou. StickerYou offers not only wedding & event templates to create your own labels, but they will also professionally print and mail your pre-cut labels to you.

Ready to get started? Learn how to make your own soap wedding favors here.

Not quite sure about taking on yet another task with everything else going on? Following are some of my favorite handcrafted bath, body and soap wedding favors that you can buy!

I love the labels on these olive oil soap wedding favors from Olive Street Mercantile. These luxurious artisan soaps created in small batches with ethically sourced ingredients including essential oils, botanicals and clays. They’re also eco-friendly, gentle and palm oil free. More here.

These rose cookie soap wedding favors from LolliLuscious are perfect for warm weather months. These handcrafted soaps are layered with delicate peony pink & shimmering pearl topped with a beautiful, blooming rose & delicate leaves. More here.

LolliLuscious also sells these Garden Butterfly Soap Wedding Favors. These artisan soaps are delicately created with perfectly pink rose buds nestled in green grass with a soft pink butterfly.

They are available packaged in either a party-ready cello bag or pretty gift box. More here.

I really like the simplicity of the labels on these medium 2.3 oz. soap wedding favors from Rustic Joy Soap. These handmade artisan soaps are available in your choice of colors and scents. More here.

These beautiful assorted soaps from Kopa Kauai are perfect for soap wedding favors. Choose from a mix of scents or get them all in your favorite fragrance choice. More here.

Or set your sights on these super cute bath salt and lip balm wedding favors from Little Flower Soap Co. They come tucked into a natural muslin drawstring pouch. More here.

Another non soap wedding favor idea are these homemade lemon honey lip scrubs from Solis & Mare. They make both great wedding favors AND bridesmaid favors. Plus the packaging is to die for! Learn more here.

These test tube bath salts from Shore Soaps are also perfectly packaged for gifting as wedding or bridesmaid favors! Learn more here.

For more wedding favors you can buy or simply additional wedding inspiration, be sure to browse my Wedding Wishes board on Etsy here. Also be sure to visit my DIY Wedding Pinterest board here for wedding favor ideas you can buy or DIY as well as inspiration for planning your wedding.

Also, don’t forget you can find and follow me on across all my social media profiles. I’m on Pinterest, G+, Tumblr, Facebook, Twitter, Blog Lovin’, and Instagram. You can also sign up to receive new posts from Soap Deli News blog to your email via FeedBurner.

Filed Under: Shopping, Soapmaking, Weddings Tagged With: artisan, diy, eco-friendly, etsy, handmade, shopping, soap favors, wedding, wedding favor

Strawberries & Champagne Solid Sugar Scrub Bridesmaid Favors

January 3, 2017 By Rebecca D. Dillon

These strawberry & champagne scented solid sugar scrub bridesmaid favors are made with a combination of organic argan oil, moringa oil, sugar and a detergent free buttermilk soap base for a luxurious sugar scrub that your bridesmaids are sure to love! (Or give them as teacher gifts for Valentine’s Day!)

I used ActuallyOrganic 100% Pure Moroccan Argan Oil to create these luxe bridesmaid favors. This cold pressed argan oil is USDA certified organic and works wonderfully for all of your natural skin care recipes. It’s also great for helping to smooth dry frizzy hair or as a body oil for dry winter skin.

Personally I also love it with a few drops of coffee essential oil mixed in under my eyes to help reduce the appearance under eye puffiness and dark circles! (Also probably great for bridesmaids after that late night bachelorette party!)

Ready to make these amazing solid sugar scrubs? Here’s how!

Strawberries & Champagne Solid Sugar Scrub Recipe

Ingredients:

1.25 oz. detergent free baby buttermilk soap base
2 oz. refined shea butter
.3 oz. ActuallyOrganic Argan Oil
.3 oz. moringa oil
.25 oz. strawberries and champagne fragrance oil
8 oz. white granulated sugar
red liquid soap colorant, to suit

Instructions:

You will need two silicone flower chocolate molds (with 15 cavities each) or similar to make these bridesmaid favors. In addition you’ll also need a digital scale to weigh out the ingredients.

This recipe will yield 30 .4 oz. solid sugar scrub cubes and make six jars of bridesmaid favors (assuming you fill each jar with five solid sugar scrub cubes.)

Begin by weighing out the shea butter and soap base. Combine in a double boiler and gently heat until melted.

If you do not have a double boiler, you can use a microwave. You’ll need to heat the shea butter first at 40-50% power until mostly melted then melt the soap base with the shea butter the rest of the way. You do not want to overheat your ingredients so stopping and melting the ingredients as you go is also helpful.

Once melted remove from heat.

Now weigh out the argan and moringa oils along with the fragrance oil and stir into the melted butters and soap base.

Next you’ll want to weigh out the sugar into a large Pyrex measuring cup.

Pour the sugar into the liquid mixture of oils, shea butter, soap and fragrance mixing as you go. Once thoroughly combined use a spatula to spoon the mixture into one mold filling all fifteen cavities. Flatten with the spatula.

With the remaining solid sugar scrub mixture, add 2-4 drops of red liquid soap color until desired color is achieved.

Spoon the pink solid sugar scrub mixture into your second mold so you fill all fifteen cavities with the colored scrub. Flatten with the spatula.(Hint. Place your mold on a cutting board for easy transfer to another location later.)

If desired, transfer your solid sugar scrub cubes to the fridge until they are fully solidified.

Once your solid sugar scrub cubes have set up, carefully remove them from each of the molds’ cavities.

Fill six 4 oz. Clear Glass Paragon Jars with Silver Caps with five solid sugar scrub cubes in alternating colors. I got my glass jars from SKS Bottle & Packaging here. (These also make excellent spice jars!) Then simply tie ribbons around the neck of the jars and you’re done!

For more DIY wedding and bridesmaid favors visit Soap Deli News blog here. You can also find more ideas on my DIY Wedding Pinterest board. For wedding and bridesmaid favors you can buy be sure to check out beau-coop. Or for handmade wedding ideas and favors visit my Wedding Wishes favorites on Etsy here.

In addition you can also plan for your wedding by creating an Amazon Wedding Registry. After your wedding date you’ll receive a 10% off coupon (or 20% off coupon for Prime Members) for select items across Amazon and also enjoy 180 day worry free returns. Plus, with Amazon’s universal registry, you can even add items to your Wedding Registry from websites anywhere on the web.

For more from Soap Deli News blog you can find and follow me on Pinterest, G+, Tumblr, Facebook, Twitter, Blog Lovin’, and Instagram. Or sign up to receive new posts to your email via FeedBurner so you never miss a post.

Filed Under: Bath & Beauty Recipes, Weddings Tagged With: bath tutorial, body scrub recipe, diy, skin care, solid sugar scrub cubes, sugar scrub recipe, Valentine's Day gifts, wedding, wedding favor, wedding gift