DIY: Handmade Sugar Scrub - Great Gift Idea!

Sugar may not be good for you when you eat it, but it's definitely great for your skin.  Sugar scrub is a fantastic exfoliation method, and personally, living here in Utah with a very dry climate, it's a MUST for my skin needs.  It needs to both moisturize and scrub away dead skin cells-and to be completely honest, it has to smell amazing at the same time or I want no part of it.

When Kristina and I got together to make our handmade bath salts last Christmas as gifts, it occurred to us that some of our friends didn't have bathtubs-so giving them bath salts would be kind of a crappy gift.  That's when the idea of putting together a sugar scrub came to life and it was almost as easy and inexpensive as the bath salts.  

• Sugar (white or brown)
• Base Oil (I prefer coconut, but Olive or Almond are also great)
• Essential Oil (make sure it's not just a scented oil-it needs to be essential so it's safe for skin and not chemical)

Your ratio for this mix is going to be 2|1.  2 cups Sugar to 1 cup base oil.  Coconut oil is pretty responsive to temperature so I had to heat mine up for about 30 seconds to make it mixable.  As for the essential oil it can take quite a bit more to stand out with this mix, so I put about 20 drops of essential oil in mine to make the smell stand out.  For this tutorial I'm using Lime, which goes wonderfully with the coconut.  I also threw in about 2 drops of food coloring.  I used green to match up with the lime.

When we picked did our bottles of sugar scrub in bulk for gifts we hit Costco and bought a huge bag of sugar (25lbs-I still have about a quarter of it in my cupboard) for about $10.  The Coconut oil was a little more money, we bought 2 giant jars of it for about $25 at costco, but I've since picked up some smaller jars (which are great for a batch or two) at Trader Joes for only $5 each.  They probably even out to about the same cost in the long run.

Olive oil was definitely cheaper, but it doesn't smell nearly as good.  However, it was totally necessary since I have a friend who's allergic to coconut and I really wanted to make her some sugar scrub.  I also used olive for my dad since it smelled a little more "manly."

Put it all together and mix it up.  It smells amazing and it's totally natural and safe-it's even edible, though I don't recommend eating it-it's not necessarily good for you even if it does taste kind of awesome.  Throw it in a jar and put it in your bathroom.  It has a shelf life of about 2 months (or more if you keep it in a cool dark cupboard so the oils don't sour) but you'll probably use it all up before that time.  It's so inexpensive and easy you can use it like crazy and not worry about breaking the bank.

What flavor would you want to make/use?

Semi-Charmed 2015 Summer Book Challenge

So the amazing book blogger Megan from Semi-Charmed Life, who was the winner of The Bookish Babe award in my 2015 Best of Blog Awards, is hosting a summer reading challenge!  I figure since I'm taking time off from school I should totally jump in on this and try to get some good reading done.  I have so many books to finish!  

General Rules:

• The challenge will run from May 1st, 2015 to August 31st, 2015.  No books that are started before 12AM on May 1st or after finished August 31st will be counted.
• Each book must be at least 200 pages long.  Audiobooks and large print books are fine, as long as the regular print version meets the page requirement.
• A book can only be used for one category, and each category can only be completed once.  If you want to switch a category for a book later on, that is fine, just make sure to account for it in your points.
• Rereads can be used for a maximum of 3 books in the challenge.  This rule is meant to encourage you to try new books while still allowing you to revisit books from your childhood or young adulthood that you might get more out of now.  Please reread the entire book within the time frame of the challenge in order to count it; no simply finishing old books or partial rereads.
• The highest possible total for the challenge is 200 points, and the first five people to finish the challenge will be invited to contribute a category for the next challenge.

Challenge Categories:

• 5 points: Freebie! Read any book that fits the general rules.
• 10 points: Read a book you have never heard of before. (Just go to a shelf and pick a book based on the cover, the title, whatever you want!)
• 10 points: Read a book that has been on your TBR list for at least two years. (If you've had a Goodreads account for 2+ years, this will be easy to figure out. If you don’t, do your best to pick a book you’re pretty sure you’ve been wanting to read for years.)
• 10 points: Read a book that won a Goodreads "Best Book" Award in 2014.
• 15 points: Read a book by an author who is completely new to you.
• 15 points: Read a book by an author you have read before. (No re-reads for this one.)
• 15 points: Read a book with "light" or "dark" in the title. (Or "lightness" or "darkness.")
• 20 points: Read a book with the name of a city, state or country in the title.
• 20 points: Read a book with an animal on the cover.
• 25 points: Read a book that is part of a series with at least four books.
• 25 points: Read a book that is longer than 500 pages long. — Submitted by winter finisher Kristen from See You in a Porridge.
• 30 points: Read a book with an alliterative title. (All words in the title must begin with the same letter; no exceptions for articles or prepositions. Examples: Gone Girl or Nicholas Nickleby. Yes, this is tough, which is why it's worth the most points!)

What I Plan on Reading: 

• Freebie: Close to Home by Lisa Jackson
• A book I've never heard of before: We'll see!
• A book that's been on my TBR list for 2 years: Stardust by Neil Gaiman
• A book that won a "Best Book" Award: We Were Liars by E. Lockhart
• A book by an Author that is completely new to me: The Good House by Tananarive Due
• A book by an author I have read before: Egg and Spoon by Gregory MaGuire
• A book with "light" or "dark" in the title: All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doer
• A book with the name of a city, state, or country in the title: Hamlet: Prince of Denmark by A.J. Hartley
• A book with an animal on the cover: The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman
• A book that is part of a series with at least four books: Odd Hours by Dean Koontz
• A book that is longer than 500 pages: The Diviners by Libba Bray
• A book with an alliterative title: Hush Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick

How to check in:

Megan will post a check in post on the first day of each month, starting with June 1st, on which you can comment with your current pitons/reading.  She will also keep a scoreboard of the previous months points on the posts.

How to join:

Create a preliminary post (like this one) and post it on your blog, then head on over and link it up with Megan's original post to sign up.  The preliminary post is mandatory.  You can always change your list of things you plan to read, but it's fun to see what people are thinking for the categories.   See the rest of the rules over in the original post.

What are you going to read?

Don't forget to link up any April reading/book posts with our April Reading Challenge!

Photography: One Block of Salt Lake City-Architecture

Spending a couple hours with my photography class taking photos around 2nd West and Pierpont in Salt Lake City, I was able to see a lot of cool buildings and architecture.  There are so many great colors and styles downtown.

Musical Mondays: Secrets

Well, I've put myself out there again.  I mean I've had dating sites active again for a while now (remember when I deleted all of my dating profiles?) but I haven't been actively responding or attempting to meet people.  This weekend I changed my mind.  I logged in, I replied to a few people, and I even struck up a conversation with someone who seems really interesting-someone who I'm actually interested in meeting.  

If you go by history, or the version of the "rules" for dating that everyone else seems to follow, this is where the games begin.  This is where you tone down who you are until a few dates in, you resist texting or calling so that you will have the power (or at least not look like a clingy freak), and where you start batting your eyelashes like some damsel that's just waiting on her knight in shining armor.  

Well, I'm over it. 

I'm not playing.  I like games with cards, and dice, and little plastic figures you move around a board.  I do not like games where the pawns are people and you're pitting emotions against trust.  No fun.  Sure, there can be an amount of excitement that makes dating like a game, but why does it have to be a delusional game?  Why does it have to be the kind of game where the only moves you make have the intent to fool someone?  Dating should not be about suckering someone into liking you before you show them your true self and just hope they deal with it.  

So I'm just going to be.  I'm going to be honest, I'm going to text if I want to, and I'm going to say what I want to say.  If someone doesn't like that me, I'm not going to try and trick them into liking a fake me before I reveal it.  They can just move on.  I don't want to be with someone who plays those games with me, so why would I play them with them?  

This week's song:

Secrets

by Mary Lambert

Saturday Spotlight: Meet the Amazing Musician Chantilly

Today I am so excited to introduce you to one of the loveliest singer/songwriters that I am lucky enough to know-and hey!  She's a blogger too, which is how I met her, and she's just one of the most wonderful bloggy friends you could make in this big wide bloggosphere.  Without further ado, let me introduce you to Chantilly.

Have you always wanted to be a musician?
I've loved to sing since I was about three years old! I remember doing vibrato in the back of the car in a church parking lot. It came very naturally to me. Learning guitar was much harder, but worth it to be able to write my own songs :)

What inspired you to go into music?
One night, I piled into my car some friends. We headed to an open mic at this little coffee shop in Providence, just to observe and be in the scene. The atmosphere was small and cozy, and everyone seemed to know each other And I was floored... people were getting up and singing their own songs like it was the most casual thing in the world. But for me, at that point, just getting up and performing at an open mic was everything I'd ever wanted to do. My biggest dream. These people were my idols, and I didn't even know who they were.

How did you get started recording and selling your music?
I started out recording a demo cd on my computer, but I didn't know what I was doing. Making audio sound good is a talent and skill, just like anything else, and engineers and producers are often a big part of an artist's sound. I knew that's what I needed. I hooked up with an engineering student at my former college to make my first album "Caught light." Since then, I've been working with another college friend who lends a lot in the way of production and arrangement.

And I've actually sold a lot of albums through blogging and being involved in that community!!

What is one of your favorite songs by yourself?
Haha! This feels like such a vain question, but here goes. "What you do to me" is my live performance go-to. It showcases my vocal range, and I love to amp up the stage drama.

My favorite recording is one that hasn't been released yet. It's called "Waiting", It talks about love/ lust as an addiction... which I've written a lot about, but my take on it has mellowed. I used to have all this angst, and it felt like I'd go crazy if I couldn't get it out. With this, there's an air of acceptance. Like, "Yes, you're my drug. Yes, you cause me pain, but I love you. Are we gonna do it again?"

What other singers/songwriters inspire you?
I've always loved Elliott Smith and Thom Yorke.

What is one thing being in the music industry has taught you?
Probably that no matter how many times you are brushed off, it really has no bearing on your level of talent. Most people take that very personally. But music industry professionals are usually just overworked people sitting in offices, just like everyone else. They receive too many emails, need to make good numbers, and usually jump on the latest trend to help them do that.

And well, yes... sometimes you do need to look at your art objectively, and get better. You do need to buckle down and write more songs, or practice more. But also, a lot of it comes down to circumstances, timing, and connections.

If you could give one bit of advice to little boys and girls out there dreaming of being singers, what would it be?
Tying into what I said above... always keep striving to produce the best work you possibly can :)

How did you get started blogging?
I started at the height of the fashion-blogging craze. I would take pictures of my outfits on a digital point-and-shoot, and eventually got my hands on a Canon (via my boyfriend), and learned some better photography techniques. Over time, I learned what makes a good photo, as well as what my audience liked. I also got inspired by a lot of other "lifestyle" blogs, so I started to incorporate things like recipes, DIY's, and photo roundups.

I haven't done a lot of blogging these days (except for on my Tumblr), but I hope to make a triumphant return!

What is your favorite thing about blogging?
I've met a lot of really awesome people through blogging (like you!!)

Also, it's a great motivator. I used to go out and get those style photos every single Sunday. No matter if I felt ugly or fat. In freezing temperatures, rain or shine. I have so many good memories of experiences I've had because of blogging. All the projects created, and little trips taken specifically for style photos. Things I never would've done if I didn't have a blog. :)

Isn't she lovely? Her music is too.

Personally, I own music by Chantilly and it's some of my favorite, so I would recommend you pick some up for yourself.  It's available on iTunes, or you can buy it HERE.  You should also follow Chantilly on Instagram, Tumblr, SoundCloud, & YouTube.

Friday Favorites: Mother's Day Gift Ideas

ONE. Chalkboard Lettering Mother's Day Card from Lily & Val.
TWO. Funny Mom Mug from Lenny Mud.
THREE. Rosemary Mint Hand & Cuticle Balm from Stella Kenton Body Shop.
FOUR. Mom Faceted Custom Bar Necklace from Hole in Her Stocking. → Take 20% off with code MOM20 at checkout!
FIVE. Funny Mother's Day Card from Row House 14.
SIX. Leaves Pattern Wooden Necklace from SimplistiCreations. → Take 15% off with code MOMDAY15 at checkout!
SEVEN. Personalized Mother's Day Cutting Board from The Cutting Board Shop.
EIGHT. Mother's Day Coffee Gift from Apropos.
NINE. Wooden Barrel Tricycle Flower Planter from Make Wooden.
TEN. Cucumber and Mint Scented Intense Moisture Body Cream from Parlo Cosmetics.
ELEVEN. Mother's Day Personalized Photo Charm Bracelet from WiReD Boutique. → Use code FREESHIP for free shipping!
TWELVE. Chalkboard Three Slot Mail Organizer from Southern Woods Style.
THIRTEEN. Time for TeaFloral Printable from A Little Loka.
FOURTEEN. Layered Sunshine Mom Necklace from Your Charmed Life. → Take 10% off with code mother05 at checkout!
FIFTEEN. White Tea & Berries Masion Jar Candle from Hello Sunlight.
SIXTEEN. Premium iPad Cutting Board Stand from Alaina's Adirondacks.

What are you getting your mom?

Photography: One Block of Salt Lake City-Sunrise

My photography class met up to take photos in downtown Salt Lake City.  We stayed within one block, about 200 west and Pierpont, and met just as Sunrise was starting and the sun was peeking above the buildings.  I got a lot of fun photos, so I'm going to break it down into a couple of photos.