Sugar Scrub.. another Mother's Day gift idea

If you still need a quick, homemade gift idea, this is something you can make in a hurry, you probably have everything you need in your cupboards already. It's also a great project to have the kids help with,  I had an 18 month old "helper" adding handfuls of ingredients and stirring. I have seen several recipes for scrubs but this is the one I made for gifts.  You can also use the recipe we posted earlier for Simply Sugar Scrub. I used a small, wide mouth Ball jar but you can put it in any container with a lid.  This recipe will make one small Ball jar, but can be adapted to make the amount you need. 

• I used equal parts brown sugar and white sugar. (I used 1/4 c. of each.)
• 1 T cinnamon 
• Almond oil, drizzle in enough to make it a paste but not soupy... (unless you like it that way).
• Coconut Oil (optional) I used about a Tablespoon because it adds extra moisture, it's thick and I like the smell
• Extract of your choice (optional). It's fine without it, but if you like a little scent, peppermint, vanilla or almond are nice to add

Put all the ingredients in a bowl and stir until it's mixed, then put it in your gift container.  I put a little tag on mine that says what it is and how to use it. 
How to use: rub onto wet skin (feet, hands, etc.) and rinse.
**Just a note about skincare recipes using coconut oil, the oil is a solid until it gets warm, so with warmer weather you should keep this somewhere cool, or in the refrigerator.  It is still usable but it will get runny. 

~Simply Angie

DIY Memo or Picture Board

They're everywhere and I have always liked them but I haven't bought one yet - the infamous picture or memo board. I looked at several styles on Etsy and decided I didn't want to spend $35 for something I thought I could actually do myself. My experiment was a success, it took about an hour (mostly because I had to reload my non-cooperative staple gun) and the total cost was around $3.50. You could make this for Mother's Day and add some of your favorite family photos!
I bought a package of 2 artist canvases, size 16" x 20". I used a 40% coupon, so they cost $2.40 for each canvas. I had some left over fabric (about 20 inches by 26 inches) from my shabby chic ottoman project, in our April archives, so I decided to use that instead of buying material (besides I wanted a shabby chic look). You could also re-purpose an item you already own such as a pillowcase, sheet, blanket, skirt, use your imagination! I also had some quilt batting, ribbon, and a staple gun. You can also add some bling on your ribbon if you want. If you have an extra frame laying around, you can also frame your board. Or maybe you want a larger or smaller board, just choose your favorite size and add about two inches on each side of the board for your batting and fabric. Remember to keep it simple and fun!
Steps:

1. Lay your batting on a flat surface.
2. Lay your canvas upside down on top of the batting.
3. Cut your batting about an inch or two larger than your canvas. Fold the batting over the sides and  watch out for your fingers (I had to say that because I almost had an "incident") and staple with your staple gun. Make sure you pull your batting tight around the edges so you have a nice smooth finish.
4. Now do the same with your fabric.
5. You are now ready to attach your ribbon. My ribbon is 3/8 inches wide.
6. I made a giant X first, from the top left corner to the bottom right corner. Then do the same with the  other side from the top right corner to the bottom left corner.
7. For the rest of the ribbon I just measured 5 1/2 inches between the first ribbons.
8. You can add decorations or buttons at the places where your ribbons meet. I had some vintage buttons so I sewed them onto my second board and left this one plain. The buttons give it a more tufted look too. 

I used an old chenille bedspread and sewed buttons on for a tufted look!

I used an 11x14 canvas for this, a little smaller

Another 11x14 smaller size

 Love and peace,
~ Simply Tammi

Vanilla Cupcakes

Vanilla Cupcakes

Vanilla cupcakes are my favorite! So you probably know what that means, I'm really fussy about my vanilla cupcakes. I've changed my grandma's recipe a little, for example she did not use a vanilla bean, yogurt or canola oil. But even with my changes, they still taste great!
Ingredients:
1 cup white sugar
1 vanilla bean (inside seeds scraped out)
1 3/4 cup cake flour (you can use all purpose flour just decrease each cup by 1 Tablespoon)
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 cup butter, softened
2 eggs
1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt or sour cream
1/4 cup canola oil
1 T vanilla extract
1/3 cup milk
1/3 cup heavy cream (whipping cream)
Combine all dry ingredients and whisk together. Add butter and stir on low speed (I used a stand mixer). Mix in a small bowl, the yogurt, eggs, oil, and vanilla. Add to the dry ingredients. Add heavy cream and milk and keep your mixer on low. The batter will be rather thin. Pour batter into cupcake liners, about 2/3 full. Mine made 20 cupcakes. Bake at 340F for 18-20 minutes. Don't over bake your cupcakes or they will be dry. I removed from the pans after about 1 minute, then placed them on a cooling rack. Cool and then frost them or freeze them. I am freezing mine in an airtight container for a couple of weeks so I can frost them the day before the party (with vanilla butter cream frosting!) Yummy!
Love and peace,
~ Simply Tammi

Vintage Jewelry Magnets

If you are looking for a craft idea for Mother's Day, refrigerator magnets are super easy and cute! My granddaughter helped me make these yesterday for her mom. It's a great way to add some bling to the artwork on your refrigerator! Children will need your help for this project; no one needs their fingers glued together!!
Directions:
We used some old costume jewelry, earrings, pins, and bracelets for our magnets. I snipped off the backs of the earrings and pins to remove the hardware with a pair of needle nose pliers. Then I took the bracelet apart basically the same way.
I applied a small amount of super glue to the craft magnets and held them on the jewelry piece for a few seconds. We let them dry magnet side up most of the day before we displayed them on the refrigerator. So pretty!

Love and peace,
~ Simply Tammi