Quick Post: Floral Headband DIY

I recently made a floral headband using $5!

What you will need

• floral tape
• floral wire
• flowers 
• wire cutter
• scissors

I picked up all of the supplies at a local dollar store. (I may have went flower crazy and spent a little more than $5.)

To create the headband, measure enough floral wire to wrap around around your head twice. The dollar store wire feels cheap, therefore I tried to create a thicker headband - you may not need to wrap the wire around twice. Then, wrap the floral tape around your wire, starting at the end to close the headband. 

Now for the flowers! You can pull the flowers off the stems, but I found it was easier to assemble the headband by cutting the stems shorter.

Arrange your flowers around the wire before taping them to the headband. 

If you find it difficult to attach the flowers with the tape you may want to use additional wire. Start by twisting the wire around the stem and then around the headband. Once your flower is attached, tape over the wire if needed to secure the flower in place. For the smaller flowers, I weaved the wire around the flower and headband. 

Hope you enjoyed this DIY!

Happy Spring! 

Moroccan Inspired Decor: Easy and Free

As I was walking through Walmart, I came across paint samples. My eyes lit up and of course my friend gave me a weird look, she doesn't understand. Anyway, I picked up a bunch of colors and convinced myself it was going to be worth it. In the end it was! I have been searching through Pinterest for Moroccan inspired living rooms and some how this project started.  

First take a look at the before...

I have been living here for almost a year so there is no excuse why I have empty frames throughout my apartment. 

After...

This doesn't complete my room but I love the addition. 

What you will need:

• frame (mine is from Ikea)
• paint chips
• stencil
• watercolors
• watercolor paper (thick paper)
• glue
• scissors

And so the process begins...

 I traced this stencil onto an index card straight from my laptop screen. I used the smallest shape, you know the one inside the black one. Stencil HERE! Found her DIY on Pinterest. Her project came out amazing! Check it out!

 I traced the design on the backs of the paint chips. I found out a little too late in the game that tracing with a pen was much quicker.

 Just fitting it to the frame to make sure I had enough.

 I blended the yellows and oranges.

After the paint dried, I traced the white frame that came in the picture frame and then cut my paper to size. You can also use the back piece of the frame. 

 I like the first arrangement better, oh well.

GLUED AND FRAMED! Tada! 

You can totally jazz it up by using it as a background for pictures or adding a quote on the glass. I haven't decided what to do with it yet. 

Adios! Hope you enjoyed this pictorial!

There might be a recipe coming soon. Stay tuned. 

Hair Smoothie

This weather has taken a toll on my hair. So, I searched the internet for at home hair therapy recipes.

I started with a banana, oil and honey recipe. Besides that bananas smell yummy, they prevent breakage and split ends. (Perfect!) Oil, preferably EVO or coconut oil, nourishes damaged hair. The oil will add moisture and smooth hair. Honey also provides moisture to the hair and locks in the moisture.

I used half of a banana, 1/4 cup of honey and 1/4 cup of oil. I blended the ingredients in my bullet and applied it on dry (day 2-3) hair over the sink - it gets messy. I put a plastic bag over my head and I left it in my hair for about 20-30 mins. Then, I washed it with shampoo and conditioner.

This recipe can also be used as a moisturizing, skin renewing body scrub if you add sugar!

As I continued my hair mask search I found a lot of sites with egg or mayo deep conditioners. Eggs are packed with protein and fats. The egg whites contain bacteria eating enzymes which remove unwanted oils. The yolk will help add moisture to your hair. You can use the whole egg to condition your hair or just the egg whites to get rid of the oils.

I tried the same recipe with one  banana, less oil and two eggs. You have to remember when washing your hair to use cold water to prevent the egg from cooking in your hair. I liked this recipe much better.

My scalp has been really itchy and dry this winter. Lemon juice helps get rid of all the loose skin and flakes. Combine the juice with oil to bring moisture back to your scalp.  If your scalp is dry this time of year too, this is perfect for restoring the damage. (You can skip the hair mask and massage oil and lemon into your scalp, and wash it out.)

Avocado is great for preventing frizz. Avocado provides nutrients that will smooth your hair out. Pair the avocado with a moisturizing ingredient for smooth, healthy hair.

For my most recent hair smoothie I used one whole avocado, two bananas, 1/4 cup of honey, 1 tablespoon of oil, and half of a lemon (juice).  (I didn't use the eggs, but I am planning to for next time.)

Blend all the ingredients and pour it into bowl. Apply over a sink (you will thank me), and wrap hair in plastic wrap, or use a plastic bag/shower cap, to trap the heat. Leave it for 30 mins and wash hair with shampoo and conditioner. (Don't skip washing your hair out!)

I try to use hair masks about every two weeks.

Hope this works. I am sure I will have a new recipe in a few weeks. But, as of right now this is it! 

Happy Saturday! 

:) 

Eczema and Skin Care

Happy New Year! Hope you are holding on strong to your New Year Resolutions! 

With the new year I had a pretty bad eczema outbreak. During the winter months and the summer months my skin is extremely sensitive. If you are going through the same thing the most important tip I have for you is don't SCRATCH! I know it's SO hard. Other valuable tips...

Take quick cold showers or baths. No more than 20 minutes. Never use hot water. Sometimes when I first get into the shower I use hot water to warm myself up but then I turn it down. Lukewarm water is best. 

The type of soap you use can also cause/prevent eczema breakouts. It is recommended that if you have eczema you should use fragrance free soap that is also moisturizing. Personally Dove works just fine. 

After the shower don't immediately dry yourself. I put a thin layer of baby oil while I'm still standing in the shower and my body is wet. I wait for my body to absorb it. Depending on the condition of my skin, I will then put a thin layer of petroleum jelly over my whole body or just the most troubled areas...in my case it's my arms. I rub it on and let it set. 

In addition, I use Aveeno Eczema Therapy Moisterizing Cream throughout the day. It doesn't have a strong smell but it does smell like oats. I use the cream mostly when I'm itchy or I notice that my skin is looking dry. Lubriderm Advanced Therapy and Nivea are also my go to. I use those mostly when my skin is healed.  They don't help with the itch but I find they are moisturizing. 

I have used two medications that have worked and showed quick results. I think the first thing you should do once your eczema has gotten out of hand or as soon as you start to feel the itch is to put on medication. I was prescribed Traimcinolone Acetonide Ointment by a dermatologist. It is a steroid! So, if it is not prescribed to you then I suggest you don't use it. An over the counter medication that I found helpful was Hydrocortisone Cream. Aveeno has a brand and Cortizone is another popular brand. I just bought the Walgreens brand and it worked just fine. Specifically I bought the one that says it has 12 moisturizers and it doubles as an anti-itch cream. 

Sometimes the material of our clothes can irritate our skin. 100% cotton is advised. It makes a different!  I also found it helpful to wear short sleeves. It may be too cold during the winter day but at night I try to allow my skin to breathe. 

Overall it's important to keep your skin moisturized! Put on lotion after washing your hands, and don't forget about moisturizing your face. 

Did I say DON'T scratch! It only makes it worse. 

New Years Photo Booth Props - DIY

Happy Sunday! In preparation for New Year's Eve I wanted to share the process of this home photo booth I have in mind.

The first thing I did was turn to Google. I found some props and traced them onto paper off my iPad. 

After , I retraced them with a Sharpie. I want to use these as stencils to later trace on to something that is more sturdy.  I "laminated" them with clear tape and cut them. 

With a precision knife I will cut out the lens, clean up the numbers and cut the champagne in the glass.

I haven't decided if I want to use card stock, foam or cardboard for the props. Once I put the props together, I will glue or tape the prop to a dowel rod. 

What's a photo booth without pictures to take home! 

:) 

Countdown til Christmas - On A Budget

With a few hours left!! Merry Christmas! I wanted to share affordable and personalized  last minute gift ideas.


I bought 4 microwavable mugs for $5 at Deals. Used sharpies to decorate them. Baked them at 350 degrees for 30 minutes and filled them with goodies.

Searching through the Target Dollar Section I found an ice tray with trees and snowflakes. I melted down a candle (using the double boiler method) and poured it into the molds. After they cooled, I put them into a little zip lock and paired it with a tea light wax burner.

HAVE A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Countdown til Christmas- DIY Candles

Attention last minute shoppers! I found this video on YouTube randomly. How cute are those hot chocolate candles. I immediately went to Michaels and bought some candle supplies. I didn't measure any of my ingredients. I mostly eyeballed it and manipulated it to get the color I wanted. I went a little bit candle crazy and tried a bunch of different things.

What you will need:

• Soy wax - It melts quickly and can be melted on the stove or in the microwave
• Crayons - optional. Some people don't like using crayons for color because it can clog the wick
• Wicks- Use a soy wick for soy wax preferably
• Skewers for mixing
• Color blocks
• Scent blocks, scented oil or an old candle
• Mugs, or other glasses
• Thermometer - optional. My set came with it.

**In the video she used shortening to make her candles instead of soy wax. I didn't have any on hand and didn't go buy any but it is on my to do list. 

Let's start with the Caramel Latte Candle - that smells like vanilla lol. You can start by gluing your wick to the bottom of the glass, I didn't. After you glue it to the bottom you can straighten your wick with two pens. I wanted to hold the wick in while I poured the wax into the cup but it didn't seem to work. So if you decide not to use glue then save the wick until after you pour the wax into the glass.

To create the coffee I used a microwave safe bowl. I put about 5 handfuls of soy wax, a  few pieces of brown and black crayons, and a piece of the vanilla scent block. I put it in the microwave and mixed it with the skewer in one minute intervals until the wax, crayons and scent were fully liquefied. I had to go back and forth with wax and adjusting the color.

**When cleaning the bowl make sure the bowl is still warm and you use hot water. Take a napkin and wipe the bowl first and then wash it. 

**If you are using oil put a few drops after the wax is melted.

Once it is the color I was looking for I poured it into the mug. Then I put the wick in the center and held the wick up by placing it in between two pens. I let my wax cool for a while- perfect time to get lost on Netflix or leave it overnight! Once it looked try I started the next layer...whipped cream. I put a handful of the soy wax into a bowl and put it in the microwave for a minute and a half to two minutes. 

I added more wax after I took the the bowl out the microwave and mixed it until most of the pieces were dissolved.

I let it sit for a couple of minutes so it can thicken/harden up a little. Then, I used a spoon and put the topping around the wick. TA DA! 

Now for the caramel syrup! I used crayons for this and melted orange, apricot, and blue. (There were probably other colors like yellow, too.) It was tricky to get the right brown.  I took the spoon again and drizzled it over the whipped topping. Then, I cut the wick. Fin!

**If you want to test the color dip a toothpick into the wax and place the melted wax on a paper towel. The wax will cool into a lighter color and that is the color the wax will be when it is cooled down.

This next candle, the Martini Candle, was really easy! I only used  three things. A martini glass, an old candle and a wick. (You can use the wick from the old candle if it is long enough.) I used the double boiler method to melt the wax. I took the Cherry Pie candle and put it in hot water over a low flame. I ended up adding more water to match the height of the wax. 

After the wax melted I poured it into the martini glass and put the wick inside. I used pens to hold the wick in place and let the wax cool over night. When it's set I cut the wick. 

Finally, the Hot Chocolate Candle! Soooo I didn't have any more brown crayons but I did have more of the Cherry Pie Candle left. How hard could it be to turn the deep red color into brown...hmph! Well, I used the double boiler method again and melted the candle and removed the wick. I then poured the wax into the mug, which wasn't enough. Now for the experimenting - I put a piece of the blue dye and yellow dye into the glass and some soy wax. 

I melted it down and then poured it into the mug. I continued until the wax turned into a reddish brown. I let the candle cool for a few hours. 

Now, the whipped cream again. This time I decided to do it a bit differently. I melted a handful of wax and vanilla scent together until it became a liquid. 

 It wasn't enough so I added more soy wax and took the glass out of the water. I mixed the soy chips into the wax and then let it sit for like 3 minutes. Once it started to turn white again I started to mix it quickly. The wax started thickening. It looked a lot smoother than the last time I did it but not as thick. I used a spoon to put it on top of the hot chocolate. I let it cool for an hour or so. It looked much fluffier and whipped when it dried.

Next, I made the chocolate syrup - more color experimenting. I cut red, blue and yellow pieces. I mixed it with a little bit of soy wax. I experimented with the color until it looked chocolaty. Then, I drizzled it over the whipped cream with a spoon.

MARSHMALLOW TIME I put a little bit of soy wax into a plastic cup and put it into the microwave for about a minute.

 I just wanted it to be warm enough to mold. I took small pieces and shaped into little cylinders. I placed them randomly on top and then drizzled some more chocolate over them. HOT CHOCOLATE IS DONE!

HERE ARE THE OTHER FINISHED CANDLES!

P.S. Don't burn the martini with the umbrella. 

YUMMY! It was so much fun. I read a bunch of different sites - some said to let the candle cure for 24hrs, one week or two weeks to get the full scent. Also, I have read to let the wax cool a bit before adding the scent because then it will be stronger. 

Hope this was helpful. Have a safe and happy holiday! :)