Garden Herb Body Scrub

I have all these delicious herbs growing in my garden that I'm not quite sure what to do with besides occasionally cooking with them. So I spent a little time on pinterest (oh, pinterest!) and found some recipes for body scrub that I decided to try. I combined a few recipes to suit my needs (and what I had on hand). I ended up making two variations. So here's what I used:

-1 Cup Sugar
-1 Cup Epsom Salt
-1 Cup Avocado oil
-1/4 Cup fresh chopped rosemary
-20-30 drops of Lavender essential oil
-1/8 Cup fresh chopped mint Or Lavender buds

You could also add peppermint or rosemary essential oil to make it a bit stronger.

Mix all ingredients together in a bowl with a wooden spoon.

 Scoop into glass containers, seal with tight fitting lids and label.

This scrub is wonderful after working in the garden all day. Just take a generous scoop, rub into hands and wrists and rinse off.

 It's perfect for the shower or tub too!

-V

Sneak Peek.... House in the Trees

A tree house has been on our "to-do" list for a while. This summer hubby decided to get it done. So with the help of his dad, mom and a few others our house in the trees is coming together. It's not complete yet, but it's getting there. And if you know my husband at all you know that he doesn't do anything half way and bigger is always better!

Next up: railings, stairs and tree house accessories. Stay tuned!

-V

Garden Tour

Sharing some pictures of my garden today. I'm hoping to dedicate a little more time and energy to this blog and I'd love it if you follow along. Just click the follow button on the right hand side. Love to hear your comments too. What's growing in your garden?

Strawberries

Cilantro

Brussels Sprouts

Lemon Balm

Strawberry Hydrangea

Blueberries

Lavender

Mint and Potatoes

Carrots, Kale, Radish, Lettuce, Beets & Squash

My "herb garden" and Sage's climbing rose

Grapevine

Sage's climbing rose

Succulents make me Happy!

-V

Father's Day

For Father's Day we took Dennis and his Dad to the horse races at Emerald Downs. It was a special day spent making good memories. This kids and adults alike had fun watching the races and picking the winning horse for each race. Sometimes based on the look of the horse, a feeling or simply the name! My goodness - who comes up with these names? Some are quite fantastic!

There was even a little horse riding for the kids! Happy Father's Day to my wonderful husband who is loving and kind. Thank you for sharing your love and making our kids childhood magical with all that you do!

xoxo -V

Pleats and Pockets Tunic

I finished this tunic out of this Japanese pattern book. It was a bit overwhelming at first because the instructions were so minimal and the pattern tracing is not easy. After a little bit of reading between the lines and using some basic sewing knowledge, it turned out to be just fine. I actually made this top as a "muslin" or sorts. I have some fabric that I've been wanting to make into a dress/ top but didn't want to cut into it before I knew for sure that I had a good pattern that I would actually wear.

 I know I will wear this top because a) I already have and b) I love this royal blue color. But there are a few things that I will change next time I make it. For one - the neck line is a bit high for my liking, I feel like I have to keep adjusting it so I don't feel like it is choking me. See what I mean:

For two - my pleats are just a touch uneven (it matters) and the bust darts are a bit too high. The next one will be a bit longer so it can be a stand alone dress, no leggings required and I might just leave the pockets off. What do you think? Pockets: yes or no??

Picture taken by my 4-year old assistant

Out with the Gold

 We've lived in our house for 3 1/2 years and I'm ashamed to admit that this awful gold skeleton of a chandelier has been hanging up the entire time. With no light bulbs or glass. I didn't work and I saw it every day. In fact I saw it every time I came down the stairs. So awful!

Since I'm currently in project mode, I decided it was high time to change that. One of my favorite blogs to follow for DIY home inspiration had just purchased this light for her entry and I loved it! It's big enough to fill the space and make a significant impact but also simple and classic.

I put an Edison bulb in it which gives off the perfect glow at night, just like a night light. And really, besides the fact that both my husband and I had to get on the ladder nearly 20 feet up while he wired the light and I held it, this project was easy!

Oh and while I was up there and the ladder was out I got to clean all the dead flies and dust off the window sill that I can't reach otherwise. Of course that lead to cleaning the window inside.... and then climbing on the roof and cleaning all the windows on the outside... and then since the ladder was up and I was on the roof - cleaning out the gutters. Whew! I love that kind of project! It leaves me feeling productive and that one new light leaves a big impact. Crossing that off my list, next up will be new lights outside, then the porch....

Yellow Door

I've had "paint the front door yellow" on my house to-do list for a really long time. When my hubby gave me the green light on Monday and I saw that the weather was going to cooperate - I went for it! Headed for Home Depot, picked up some paint and supplies, took the door off and got to work. The process was pretty simple - clean and lightly sand the door. Since the door was white I didn't need any primer. I painted 3 light coats and let it dry all day. By bedtime is was ready to hang back up. When projects are this easy I wonder why on earth I didn't do it sooner?
I love how it turned out. The porch and front of house isn't exactly where I want it to be but I have big plans. The deck is next to be updated. I'd like to update the lights and eventually the house will get painted. But my new yellow door is s step in the right direction. It's so cheery and makes me happy when I pull up to our home!

Another thing making me happy are these beautiful peonies. These are by far my favorite flower! They take a while to grow and bloom but it's worth it. Aren't they lovely?