DIY Life

I'm already brainstorming holiday gifts, and it's not even Halloween. Am I brainwashed or what? Regardless, trinket soaps are both fun and affordable, and I'd love to try my hand at creating a few gifts for family members this year. Luckily, this video gives step-by-step instructions for adorable trinket soaps that I can't wait to try!



A few important tips to keep in mind?:

1. Use a clear glycerin base if you want your object to be visible inside the soap, and a milky, opaque base if you want it to be a hidden surprise.
2. Avoid using a loaf-shaped soap mold-you'll have to slice up the finished soap, and may end up cutting through the objects inside.

And, of course, a bit of soapy food for thought:

Look: I'm completely addicted to those glossy Before and After-type home renovation magazines. But I often scoff at the money spent on those gorgeous refits. There's no way I can sink that kind of money into my, er, sinks. That is, while I can afford one nice (alas, not luxe) renovation job, I can't swing it for both bathrooms. What's a girl to do?

After four years (yes, really) of on-and-off agonizing, I've decided on what I hope is a winning strategy: A fairly major renovation of our master bathroom -- which has the world's tiniest shower stall -- with only minor upgrades to our hall bath. I'll be doing the easier repairs and all the cosmetic stuff myself, but hiring in experts for the bigger tasks.

In the coming weeks, I'll be blogging about my progress. First stop is this new photo gallery on how to repair small holes in a bathtub. Please come back often to see how I'm doing! And don't forget: We love feedback. Post your thoughts and/or suggestions in Comments below.

I think most people would agree that bath products make a nice gift. Unfortunately, they're a little over-gifted, if you know what I mean. But, if you take some effort to make your own products and to personalize them, what was old-hat suddenly becomes new again. Whipup's bath bomb surprises are a perfect gift idea that you can personalize for anyone.

You'll need baking soda, citric acid, your choice of essential oil, a spray bottle with witch hazel, and your choice of trinkets to insert in the bath bombs. You'll also need a large bowl, a whisk, an ice cream scoop with a release mechanism, and a tray covered with wax paper.

To make the bath bombs, combine the baking soda and citric acid. Then slowly spray in the essential oils. Adding the witch hazel can be a bit tricky as you need just the right amount of moisture. Once the consistency is right, you'll be able to use the ice cream scoop to create the halves of the bath bomb. Then insert the trinket and put the two halves together. Whipup has the details.

Keep reading for different gift ideas with these "surprise inside" bath bombs.

Join me each week as I explore the naturally aromatic side of DIY. Helpful recipes for your "scentual" pleasure: from essential oils, herbs, and other botanicals, to soap-making, body care products, and other useful blends.

When I first became interested in essential oils and hydrosols, I have to admit I thought of rose as an "old lady" scent. Sure, I suppose it was beautiful, but to me, nothing dramatic or daring enough for the younger sect.

Then I smelled a true rosa damascena; first, a rose otto, then a hydrosol. I realized that my negative association with rose had nothing to do with what actual distilled rose products smelled like, and that fake rose scent and rosewater is not, not, not the same beast.

You need to own something rose; it is that simple. The balancing effect on your mood alone is reason enough. Unfortunately, the price of a rose otto or even a good rose absolute can be prohibitive for many. A rose hydrosol, however, is affordable, versatile, has a long shelf life, and is resplendent with the heady rose scent.

Bring a bit of vintage style into your bathroom with Julie Reed's crocheted bath rug. The doily pattern that she used is from 1918: authentic and classic. The full tutorial will give you everything you need to recreate this bath mat in your own home.

Julie doesn't just list supplies and steps, but walks us through what works and what doesn't, as she chooses the right yarn and tries to minimize the ruffled edge.

I love her color choice. The juniper and charcoal heather compliment each other beautifully. This is the kind of inspired piece you could build your whole bathroom around. After the break, I'll discuss some DIY ways to finish off your vintage style bathroom.

The quiet stirrings of the water with every slight movement, the all-over soothing warmth, the big wet water hug. Can you tell I enjoy a good bath (as does my son in the picture!)?

Baths can be therapeutic as well as relaxing, and have been for years. Herbs and essential oils can intensify the healing properties of a bath.

Third Age has some great tips on how to create your own amazing bathing experience. They suggest dry brushing before a bath to stimulate blood flow to help release toxins more efficiently.

Some other tips they mention:

Sure, spring is just around the corner. But that doesn't mean the there aren't a few chilly nights left in the season. A warm bath tops my list of ways to unwind when it's cold outside. Done correctly, a warm bath can be the perfect stress-reducer.

So what makes a perfect bath? A few facts:

• Ambiance is important. Turn off those harsh overhead lights, and turn on a small lamp or light candles instead.
• Conventional tubs are good, big tubs are better, jet tubs are ideal.
• Though hot water may feel good, it can dry out your skin. Aim for a bath that's no warmer than 104 degrees, and plan on soaking for less than a half hour.
• Soaps can be drying, but plant and herbal extracts are an excellent way to make your bath more "scents-ual."
• Your morning shower is for getting clean, use your bath to relax and unwind.
• A cool water rinse -- if you can stand it -- will close pores opened by the warm water.
• After your bath, moisturize. Wrap yourself in something big and fluffy.
• Finally, get yourself to bed. The temperature rise and fall that you get from a warm bath can lull you to sleep, an easy trick for insomniacs.

There...don't you feel better already?

Score points this Valentine's day with something truly romantic, original and best of all, homemade. Handmade gifts aren't always received with the excitement that we imagine. Sometimes they are a total flop. So, what differentiates the gift that she calls all her friends to brag about from the one that gets tucked away in the junk drawer?

I think that all romantic DIY gifts should pass a three-point check:

1. Is the gift personal?
   Even if beautiful, something that could have easily made it into a Secret Santa exchange probably isn't going to blow her away. It should be obvious that this gift was made just for your special someone. Personalizing it with a name or picture is the obvious choice. More subtle: try incorporating an inside joke, or choosing a theme using project elements that have significance for the two of you.
   
   
2. Did the gift take time to make?
   She said she'd like something homemade. You raided the kids craft cupboard and made a card. She's not impressed. Are you surprised? The more time and planning that goes into the gift the more you'll get out of it. People love knowing that they were thought of, and taking the time and energy to plan ahead for a handmade gift shows that you truly wanted it to be something special.
   
   
3. Is it really any good?
   We only make a big deal out of poorly painted, ceramic ashtrays when they come from our children. While some failed projects can still be appreciated for the romantic intention, there really isn't room for the ugly, the tasteless, and the poorly crafted ones. Don't knit him a toque out of leftover yarn in colors you know he'd find hideous and then expect him to wear it proudly because it was made with love. Think seriously about what your significant other would like. If you want it to go on display, consider how it would work with their current decorating scheme.

With these three guidelines, I've put together a list of romantic DIY Valentine's day gifts. Some are old favorites-- tried, tested, and true for generations of lovers. Others are new and inventive, but they are all incredibly romantic and sure to make him or her putty in your hands. Follow me through the break and I'll share them with you.

People ask me about ideas for things that they can make themselves to sell on Internet sites like Etsy.com. I tell them the trick is to come up with things that can be produced rather quickly with quality results and it helps if it's something they can make uniquely their own. It's also beneficial if the items are practical as well as decorative. A healthy dose of whimsy always helps to capture the attention of curious shoppers.

To see a fine example of what I'm suggesting, take a look at the home sewn washcloth puppets on Sewing.org. These home made little cuties would be relatively cheap to make because they're sewn using basic washcloths and some other common sewing supplies. Sewing.org gives you the full instructions for making them and even includes printable patterns for you.

Do you like Lush? The famous UK retailer has expanded their US business a lot in the last few years, but knockoff products preceded the company's wares onto American shelves: we were familiar with bath bombs long before we could easily purchase a Tisty-Tosty or Avobath.

Two of the major draws of Lush's products, aside from their fabulous scents, are their natural ingredients and the fact that they're handmade. Fans of the company know that their wares aren't exactly cheap, but think they're worth every penny.

But if you like handmade natural bath and body products, it's simple to make your own, or at least to add your own custom scent blends to basic lotions, oils, and soaps. And once you've paid more than $5 for an admittedly divine single-use bath item, you may become even more interested in the concept.

Learn more about it after the break! You'll find links to some great recipes, as well as suggested sources for any supplies you might need. There's still plenty of time to make something for everyone on your holiday gift list.

Got milk? Ha, sorry, I couldn't resist. At over $4 a gallon, milk is a very expensive commodity these days. It is very important to have on hand, especially as it helps us grow up big and strong. Of course, if you are lactose intolerant, then you can use milk for other things, and as I have, learn to love soy!

Are you curious to know what else you can do with milk beside make excellent mashed potatoes for Thanksgiving dinner? Gomestic has a list of 20 extraordinary uses for milk that is, well, extraordinary.

The author mentions everything from using powdered milk and water as a facial mask, using milk as a shaving cream, and using milk to make yourself a foam bath. Check out the list to see if there is anything that you can use milk for:

There is nothing so lovely and relaxing as soaking in the bathtub after a long day. A bath helps to ease away stress; loosen tired, achy, knotted muscles; and is just an excellent way to get some time for yourself. I very rarely get to take a bath, as a shower is all I have time for these days, but when I do get to take one, I love to fill the bathtub with wonderful smelling bubble bath.

If you like to take a bath too, then check out this awesome post I found on TipNut.com. The author gives you lots of recipes on how to make your own homemade herbal bath bags.

To make the herbal bath bag, first, make a bag that will hold about 1/4 to 1/2 cup of your favorite herbal bath recipe, and then fill the bag with the herbs. Tie the bag tightly so that no herbs can try to make a getaway, hang it on the water spout, and let the water run down the bag. Another method is to steep the bag for 20 minutes in pre-boiled water, and then put the entire contents of the pan: hot water and steeped herbal bag, into your bath water.

The author gives you many great herbal recipes to make your herbal bags. Dried lavender, rose petals, sage, basil, and oatmeal are all ingredients that you can use to make your herbal bath bags. I am wondering though, what do you do with the contents of the bag after you are done taking your bath? Maybe, just maybe, you could follow Maureen's advice and make your own potpourri.

Summer is officially over and it's time to pack up summer things and make room for fall and winter. I have lots of old beach towels that just aren't going to make it through another summer. Our local thrift store isn't interested in them because they can't sell them, and they cost the store time and money when they end up having to throw the towels out.

I'd really rather not throw these out, so I went looking for ways to re-purpose them. After the break I'll let you in on 10 uses for old beach towels. I'd love to hear your ideas too.