London Fog Bath Soak

So many of us suffer from itchy, dry skin in the colder months.  Trying to sooth your skin with store bought milk and oatmeal baths can get a wee bit pricey if you use them every time you bathe.  Well, friend, it's incredibly easy to make your own, FAR less expensive then buying them and completely flexible so you can create a mixture to suit your own needs.

Open Call Tuesday #26

Hello everyone!  What have you been up to this past week?  I shared some pretty, swirled cookies, an acorn cap ornament and some roasted harvest soup.  Yum!

Thanks to everyone who entered the giveaway last week for the free ad space on SaltTree for 6 months!  I'm very pleased to announce the winners of the two ad spaces up for grabs!

Roasted Autumn Harvest Soup

The fall yields some delicious foods doesn't it?  With seasonal vegetables in abundance, it's hard to resist making some baked pepper squash drizzled with brown sugar and butter, or some squash carrot soup topped with a dollop of sour cream and some fresh dill...which we're going to make right now :)

Swirled Sugar Cookies

If you haven't figured it out yet, I use my basic sugar cookie recipe to make all sorts of treats.  From frosted, to tea infused to swirled, it's a great recipe to have on hand and modify to suit your needs.  Follow along for a quick tutorial on making these colourful swirled cookies, sure to please the kids in your life, big and small!

Acorn Cap Ornament

I love fall crafts :)  I love Christmas crafts even more.  You can make so many beautiful things with nature and a little glitz.  Hence, this acorn cap ornament.

For me... this project = $0.00.  The acorn caps were found on the ground, paint, glue, glitter, ribbon and the foam ball, were all on hand.  All easily accessible at your local dollar store too.  But... in the spirit of this ornament, try using what you have on hand.  For those well stocked crafters, I bet if you dig through your supplies, you could do it at no cost too!

Open Call Tuesday #25

Hello everyone!  Thank you again for such a successful week last week!  I truly enjoy seeing all the fantastic projects that are linked up.  I've noticed lately that the 'clicks' per link have been a little less then usual, so I really want to encourage you to visit a few other links once you have posted your own project(s).  It's all about supporting our blogging community and the creativity of others.  We all appreciate thoughtful comments, so let's leave some for others too!

I've also got a goody of a giveaway for you this week, so be sure to enter!

Pinata SMASH Cake!

Get your hammers ready, folks.  This is a fun one encouraging minor destruction, chocolate indulgence and playfulness!  I made this pinata smash cake for my sons 2nd birthday.  Therefore, the bright colours, 'dripping' icing and sprinkles (of course!).

Spikey Gift Bow Tutorial

Christmas time is looming... so how about some gift wrapping ideas?  I do love trying to make each present look special by adding little personal touches.  Whether it's a handmade gift bow, tag or an ornament attached to the gift, it's that little bit extra that makes someone feel like you've really taken the time to make it special for them.

This project can be made with any light weight paper such as thin magazine pages, left over wrapping paper or like I've done, left over book pages.  I've been getting a lot of use out of these book pages!  They originally came from the hollowed book I shared with you, then the podged shoes and now this! 

Open Call Tuesday #24

Good evening all!  It's been a busy week!  Foster's 2nd birthday is coming up in a couple days so I've been trying to get everything together.  Where on earth did the past two years go!?`

In between the b-day preparations, I did get a couple projects completed.  I am loving the ice wreath I made filled with cranberries and greenery.  It's definitely one for the northern dwellers!  I also made a batch of herbes de provence from the herbs in my pantry.  It's such an aromatic blend... Yum.E!

Arctic {Ice} Wreath

Since we are getting cooler in temperatures and closer to Christmas, I wanted to share an inexpensive project for all my fellow northern dwellers.  If it gets below freezing in the winter where you live, you can do this project!  It's a fun one for kids and adults.  You can use simple things from your backyard to decorate it, or raid your craft supplies for a little 'extra'.

You may be thinking, ok, it's a ring of ice.  Why do I need to follow a tutorial to see how to make a ring of ice?  Because of the tips IN the tutorial.  That and all the loving care I put into making this tutorial for my readers.  Really.  Read it... it will ooooze off the screen at you.

Herbes de Provence

Herbes de Provence... such a wonderfully, aromatic blend.  Have you ever tried it?  I really enjoy it with pork, chicken, blended into soft cheeses like goat or even cream cheese.  Buying ready made seasoning  blends in the store can be costly.  But fear not my frugal friends, you might find you have everything you need on your spice rack to make this intoxicating blend.

Open Call Tuesday #23

I do hope all of my fellow Canadians have had a wonderful Thanksgiving with their family and friends!  I've had enough turkey, ham, potatoes and pie to last me until Christmas.  I don't 'stuff' myself often, but holiday meals do it to me every time!  Come on, I'm not the only one.  I hear all those pant buttons popping, zippers being stealthily undone to accomodate that second helping... elastic waistbands being stretched to the brink of wardrobe malfunction as the 'I'm-so-full-I-can-barely breath' sighs are exhaled from the mouths of said stuffed guests .... yeah... you know who you are ;)

Otherwise, it was a busy week around here.  Planning for my little ones 2nd birthday (sniff!), but I did make some homemade crackers, which were a big hit!  How about you?

Featured at Bonbon Break!

Hi Everyone!  SaltTree is being featured over at Bonbon Break today in the Mom Cave section!  Check out this fab online magazine brimming with talented contributors.  Thanks to Val and Kathy for the feature!

Going Crackers

A cool, gloomy day outside and warm hearty chili simmering away in the crockpot.  One of those days you want to curl up in a cozy sweater, tea in hand and do some reading.  But how about after a little reading, we make some home made crackers to go with that chili that's permeating the air.

Open Call Tuesday #22

It's that time yet again!  Open Call.  Share your fabulous DIY, crafting, cooking, thrifting and writing adventures!

Last week I did a bunch of acorn crafts.  You may have seen the acorn birds nest ring, or the acorn pendant... and I even shared a tutorial on how to dry out green acorns (the fast way).  Every week needs something a little yummy, so check out the pie pops I made too!

What did you get up to?

Pie Pops!

Cake pops have been a big deal for years now.  Why?  Because, who doesn't love food on a stick!  Seriously, pretty well anything can go on a stick.  Pickles, pizza, hot dogs, chocolate, cookies... and anything else you can dream up

So how about pie?

This is really easy.  Super cute for any get together and perfect to settle your pie craving without the temptation of an entire pie in front of you.  Follow along and customize it however you like!