Craft Crate & Runaways

I've finally got my craft crate! I live on a wee farm, so we have plenty that are quite available, but it's a hassle finding some that aren't waaay too out of shape. I'm trying to decide what I'd like to do with it, though. Leave it nice and rustic as it is, add some paint, fabric, or some sort of design? I also have this plain white box meant for moving that has the word "GLASS" scrawled all across it. I'll definitely do something with that, me thinks.

and a black & white, just for good measure :

But, until then, I shall be without internet. I'm running away without my phone & computer for just a few days. I'm hoping I'll be somewhat productive and come back with loads of DIYs (:

jusqu'alors!

Gabrielle

Peppermint Sugar Scrub

Super simple recipe that I'll be using as gifts (: Some of you should not make this till after Christmas.. just in case.

- Two cups of white granulated sugar
as far as the oil, I used a pressed coconut oil which I melted to make it easier to mix with the sugar.. I melted about a quarter cup at a time and I believe it was about three or four different times. You can also use almond oil. The first time I did this I just used whatever I had on hand which was vegetable oil.. I know most people wouldn't like that, but I enjoyed that as well! It just smelled a little funny.

- So, we'll say a cup of pressed oil OR half a cup of regular oil - try a little at a time to get it to the consistency that you like.

- Sprinkle of peppermint extract to smell!

See? easy peasy lemon squeezey!

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It makes a fair amount, if you aren't giving this as a gift and just using it for yourself, I'd suggest cutting it or keeping it in a mason jar by the tub (: I use it as a scrub and then shave it off.. it takes a toooon of dead/dry skin off with it, so I wouldn't suggest shaving while soaking in the tub. Grody. But man, does this make your legs smooth as heck.

I found a bunch of these mini mason jars at Home Goods - my favorite place in the world. I painted the lids a light blue while I drank tea, ate cheese, and watched Gladiator.

The scrub is actually really delicious. Santa thought so too.

Risky Black & White

As long as I can remember, black and white photography has been my favorite. I feel like every photo can be improved by turning it black and white, but not everyone feels the same, so I've tried to keep variety. I've also loved photographs that are a little risky & full of emotion, but I've always been scared to post the ones I've taken. But you know what? This is my photography & this is my passion. So I'm posting as much black and white as I'd like & as many absurd or puzzling pictures as I can. I need to make up for the ones I never did share.

From now on I will definitely post every Wednesday and Sunday for a start as I get better at posting, and then any other times between that I can manage. Today I made up all the Sugar Scrub (: Recipe and pictures to follow! Tomorrow I'm planning on running out to our packing shed to find some apple crates for under my desk. Thheeeennn, this is where I will put all of my crafty things so I can start a crafting/project series "Out of the Crate" - hip hip hooray!

On a slightly random note:
At work we had secret santa (: my secret santa was a lovely lady called Elizabeth. She happens to be my very age & petiteness and she enjoys making up songs about lobsters as much as I do. She remembered from one of the very first times that we worked together that I loved leather jackets and wanted one all of my own.

Isn't she the very, very best?

Well, I'll be back soon with super tasty sugar scrub.

ta ta for now!

Gabrielle

goals

I'm going to make myself a fancy list of goals for this blog so that I don't keep posting random stuff every few weeks. Since it's that time of year and I'm finally making some money, crafts should be happening (:

No excuses.

{ I'll Do It Myself }

I'm going to make myself some decorative Christmas cones. Big ones! But first I need to go out and find some pretty fabric & other supplies.

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Then, in these little guys:

Sugar Scrub with Coconut Oil

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I'm going to make hand made Christmas cards this year. 

With fun fabrics, paper, glue, sparkles, tea, & no patience. I might post some tutorials if they turn out well. 

Don't get your hopes up. 

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Also, this guy is pretty darn cute. I got him for super free at World Market. I might try my hand at ornaments. 

doh (:

{ Looks }

Since short hair is in & growing it out is a pain, I've found a do that I've been wearing almost every day now, so I'll post a tutorial for that.

I've been trying to get pictures of my red lipstick and winged eyeliner that has become a part of my everyday makeup. You can kind of see it in the picture above, but I really haven't had the best of luck with pictures of that or of my outfits that I've been a little bit proud of. I need a partner or a tripod that actually holds my camera.

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Since I've stopped dancing, I've gotten a little -cough- out of shape. I found this workout a while back on pinterest that I loved a lot, so I'm going to take a spin off that and post it so you can print it out and take a stab at it with me, if you'd like.

{ Projects }

From my last post [on my room] : my wardrobe & both desks need some help, also cleaning up apple crates, finding burlap for my cheapo trashcan, find/fix up old lamps, make little mismatched pillows, find the rest of my knick-knacks & books and then probably clean them up. I also have some little wooden chairs that Joshua has kidnapped that we'll get to eventually. Most of this will probably be done in the spring when the weather is lovely.

{ Tasty }

mint layered fudge! 

marshmallow wreaths!

& so many other of my very holiday favorites.

{ Photography }

Someday someone will ask me to take their picture. Until then, vous avez moi. So, I'll take this time to work on photoshop. & no, that isn't going as well as planned.

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So, I have a few ideas. I'll probably come up with a lot more as I go along as well. But honestly, there's no reason I shouldn't be posting more than I do.

new room

Earlier this year (Friday the 13th of April) we had a chimney fire which decided to mostly hug my room. So, while I was away in Germany, my parents lived in a wee house & planned for months while our home was being repaired. Well, they finally moved back into our lovely home just a few weeks before I got home, and I've slowly been working on my room ever since. There are still many projects I need to work on, so I will add those to my to do list.

My desk is my very favorite place in this whole wide world. I'm always here. I use a little ottoman and tuck myself away in the corner of my wardrobe. It's probably the coziest.

I had no idea what to do with my earrings until I could afford a cute stand, so I had been keeping it all lying on my book shelves, but Mum suggested I hang them on my bulletin board! So I did that (: and I think I may even prefer that to a pretty little stand. We shall see.

When the ceiling fell on my desk it left a lot of white marks all over it, so I want to do something to fix it up. Suggestions would be lovely! I'm also going to find a prettier frame for my mirror & those apple crates will be everywhere (:

Tibby!

I covered my walls with the white lights (: I love running away to my room, especially now that I have some surround sound and my computer in here, so the lights make it even more relaxing. And awesome.

This wardrobe is going to be my big project (: I want to completely fix it up. It has a little mirror inside that I want to replace, then I may paint it some fun color & make it marvelous once more.

My desk is another little project that I just need to touch up, & I'll replace the plastic bins with apple crates!

The little basket to the left was only a few dollars & I had no trashcan, so I'm going to find myself some burlap to line it & make it the prettiest trashcan in the world.

I had nowhere to keep my shoes, so I shoved all the ones I rarely used into my closet & had my favorites under the wardrobe, but they kept slipping back & would get all dusty... and sad. So! I put all of my shoes on a little rug that's easy to pull out, that way none of them slip back & my closet is free & I can have more variety to my wardrobe (:

this too shall pass

It's getting close to the end of my work year.. might even be done by the end of this week. After that I'm taking some time away without my phone & facebook. Life is weighing down a little.

This too shall pass.