DIY Mom's Day Gifts ❤︎

Hello! Hope you all had an excellent week. Mother's Day is just around the corner, and there is still time to create a few nice gifts. Most of these are fairly easy and take hardly any time-- and a few take a little more time and imagination... I have all the faith that you can do it. Plus, your Mom will appreciate that you took the time to create these especially just for her. Your such a good kid. :) P.S. I hope my Mom reads this post AFTER Mother's Day, as I am making a few for her. Hehe. 

These little gifts can be applied to any time of the year, really. Do you have a birthday coming up, housewarming gift, or save this post for Christmas gifts. A few of the DIY's enable you to create with any colors, shapes, and sizes... so no more excuses for not finding the perfect gift for someone. 

Let's get started. ▷▷

1) Succulents are always cool and in style. These little minis are so fun and very easy to take care of. You can find them any time of the year, and they make the cutest gifts. For this particular gift, I just found a few cute tea mugs and placed the little gems right in. Easy right? You can even go to the thrift store and find any unusual and special mugs just for them. You could even purchase a mug with your Mom's name on it. The possibilities are endless. Make sure you pick up a few extras for yourself and place them all over the house... they are so cute! 

2) DIY Inspirational pictures. This is the little office, and I just recently made these. It's so easy, and you can customize with any saying or quote that you would like. I made the words on my MAC under Pages and ta-daaa! Next, go to Goodwill or any thrift store, pick up a few ugly looking frames, and paint them. I went with a neutral theme, but you could paint them a pretty lime or avocado color, mango, pink.. anything she would like. P.S. Don't mind the crooked Audrey Hepburn quote above... it makes everything else seem off.  

3) Notebooks and journals. I'm pretty sure every Mom would love these to organize her life or just to jot down memories and thoughts. These are cute and can be picked up anywhere... TJ MAXX has some great selections with all designs and colors. 

4) Customized gift set. Through my organic shop, you can customize anything that you think your Mom would love. There are foot and bath soaks, lip butters in several scents, facial scrubs and masks, and other little fun pampering goods. I believe that everyone should take the time to pamper themselves once or twice a week. It's not even for pampering purposes, but it's healthy for the mind and soul. These gems are created by yours truly in small batches. All the organic ingredients are taken very seriously and purchased either locally or from a highly reputable organic company. This creates healthy and decadent goodness for the skin. Take a look here...

Dream Nuage Shop  

5) DIY cute banner. This project is SOOO fun and can be used in any or all the rooms of the home. You can use any design of paper, color, size... you pick. I purchase most of my scrapbook paper from Michaels and Hobby Lobby, as they have a huge assortment (I'm in there for hours, I swear). 

Here's what you need: (most of this can be purchased at Michaels or Hobby Lobby) 

- Push pins (any color or size) or heavy tape 

- Tiny clothes pins 

- Scissors

- Scrapbook paper or cute fabric 

- Twine

- Creativity 

❤︎ For this banner, I cut the paper 12x3 inches, but you can make it bigger or smaller depending on what you like. Fold your paper in half as shown above the long way. 

❤︎ Next, place your paper so the open end is facing up. Start cutting triangles, squares, circles, hearts, whatever you want. Cut all the way down until you get to the end of the paper. 

❤︎ Now you should have a bunch of little shapes everywhere... aren't they cute? The next step would be to place your twine (heavier the better) where you want to hang your banner. The little heart push pins or heavy tape will work for this part. When you are pleased with where you want it, go ahead and place your shapes on the twine with the little clothes pins. 

YOU ARE DONE!

That's just a few gifts that you can make for Mom... there are so many ideas out there. I wanted to give you a few this week in case you haven't purchased anything yet, or if you wanted to create something special just for her. 

Happy Mother's Day to all the Moms! 

Take care, 

Jennifer ❤︎

DIY Organic Granola Bars ▷

Hello to you and another week in April. Are you setting new goals, habits? Are you taking time for yourself -- at least five minutes daily? It IS vital that you give yourself even just minutes a day to reset the body and mind. I know that my "minutes" come in the morning just before I start my day... coffee or tea in hand... and I follow my Peace of Mind Daily list (can be found in one of my previous blog posts in January). 

And speaking of taking care of oneself, it's just as important WHAT we put into our body to carry us through the day, whatever we may be doing. I do struggle at times when it comes to snacks... as in good, healthy snacks. So, you may be happy and curious to scroll down and try this recipe for yourself... don't worry, it's very easy, good for you, and they taste delicious. Hooray! 

 



Okay, so they look delicious, you can make them every week for your kids or yourself. Make an extra large batch and freeze them for later! Winning! 

Let's get busy and start making these yummy bars! I can be bossy at times, can't I? :) 

Here's what you need to get started: (I purchased most of my ingredients at Whole Foods) 

♡ 1 1/2 cups organic oats or gluten- free oats 

♡ 1/2 cup organic peanut butter -- sub: sunflower, tahini, or coconut butter

♡ 1/2 cup honey or raw agave (local is best) 

♡ handful of organic chocolate chips or dark chocolate 

I made these bars without any substitute, but there are some great alternatives to some of the ingredients as well... experiment, experiment, experiment! 

Step 1: 

Gather all ingredients. 

Step 2: 

Mix all ingredients in large bowl. (You can eat a few chocolate chips along the way, I sure did). 

Step 3: 

Place some wax or parchment paper down, and pour the mixed ingredients onto paper (you can use a square pan too, I didn't have one). I actually just formed the bars into a square with my clean hands. :) 

Step 4: 

Place in fridge for about a half hour or until you can't take it anymore. Cut into rectangles or squares or circles, or just eat it as one big bar, haha! 

How easy was that? I would love to see your creations and what ingredients you used. I hope you enjoyed this post, and you continue to make these and even add your own ingredients such as raisins, sunflower seeds, etc... the possibilities are endless!

Have a great weekend! 

Jennifer ♡

A little stroll to This Old Bunkhouse ▷▷

Hello! Hope you are having a fabulous week so far! The weather is starting to get a little nicer here in Wisconsin. Everyone is getting the urge to plant their flowers and drink their coffee outdoors. Since it has been on the cooler side yet, we decided to take a ride to Iron River, WI. We have been there before, but it's nice to revisit and check out all the new, lovely things the little town has to offer.

This Old Bunkhouse  ♡

The first place that we always visit is This Old Bunkhouse. It's a cute little shop on the main street and is always decorated so adorable. If you love prim decor, you will love her shop. When you first step inside, you will be lost in all of the candles, gifts, furniture, chocolates, baby items, jewelry, cards, clothing, essential oils, and much more. There is a little gem around each corner, so be sure to go around twice, so you don't miss a thing. 

This little sign tho :) 

                         

                                                                    

Yummy soaps

                                                                       

         
We bought some soap from this cute little business, and it was hard to choose as they all smelled delicious. The lavender one came home, and the bathroom smells so lovely. 

Candles and such. Wish you could smell them through the computer. 

There is a plethora of candles, and each one smells amazing! I have tried the banana bread and blueberry pie scents... yummy, yummy!                             

The bike is an added touch.

I love looking up, as you never know what you will find hiding. I am also fascinated with all the lights and twine...

You need to try these! 

If you have a sweet tooth, you are in luck! She has chocolates that are local and delicious. The chocolate sea salt caramels are my favorite! Could you pick just one? I didn't think so. :) 

Do you spot Dream Nuage products? Woohoo! 

This Old Bunkhouse also carries some of my organic products and displays them super adorable. I have always loved this little hutch, and find it lovelier that she decided to place them there. 

Really though, you have to visit this cozy shop. If you live in Northern Wisconsin, there is NO excuse to not take a mini drive out this way (45 minutes from me). The owner, Cindy is a lovely person to visit with (tell her I sent you). She makes you feel right at home. If you do visit, please let me know... I would like to see how much you loved it too. 

If you feel like taking a stroll, here is the address: 7620 US-2 -- Iron River, WI. (715) 372-5599. 

Have a fantastic weekend!

Jennifer ♡

March Favorites ♡♡

Hello there lovelies! Hope your week has been fantastic and productive. Up North, we have had more winter snow and hardly any sun. It really is Spring, and I do hope that Mother Nature allows the sunshine to show soon. Until this happens, I will share with you some of my can't-live-without March favorites... 

MARCH FAVORITES 

1). Little Buddha. Peaceful and simple. It is sitting on my desk and gives me zen when I am having a difficult day. Actually, I do most of my meditations in the office, and I have created a little "zen" area including a piece of amethyst, succulent, and my little Buddha head. I picked this little one up in downtown Duluth at Global Village. You can find these mostly anywhere. 

2). Acure Shampoo + Conditioner. I have been really loving this brand lately, as you will see in this month's favorites. Acure is a great company that creates some great stuff. They are vegan // gluten free // sulfate free // cruelty free // petroleum and PEG free // No synthetic fragrances, won't clog pores and 100% biodegradable. Now, that's a lot of positives to have for a company. I have been using the shampoo and conditioner for about three weeks now, and my hair loves it. It contains nourishing ingredients such as organic argan oil + argan stem cells, sea buckhorn oil and organic pumpkin seed oil. I did purchase mine on Amazon... Shampoo    Conditioner 

3). Acure Day Cream. Yup. This is very good as well. This day cream contains gotu stem cells to firm and help skin to fight environmental damage and free radicals. It also contains nourishing chlorella growth factor to support collagen and elastin fibers (anti-aging). It absorbs very easily into skin, no greasy effect + it smells amazing. I will wake up in the morning, wash my face, use a toner, and then gently slather on a bit of this wonderful cream. 

Day Cream

4). Borne Cosmetics. I love to support small businesses and this one happens to be on Etsy. This small business creates everything handmade and has been featured in high end magazines. They use organic ingredients, no preservatives or chemicals, and they donate a portion to charity. LOVE this! I purchased an organic mineral foundation sample (the sample is huge) and an organic concealer. I really am loving both of them... the foundation glides on effortlessly, and the shea butter base concealer covers extremely well. I am impressed and will be purchasing more from Jennifer at Borne Cosmetics soon. 

Borne Cosmetics

5). Journal + notebook. Can one really have too many of these? I think that I probably have like 20 of them... not kidding. BUT... each one has a different function in my life, actually helping me to organize my thoughts and business. I picked these gems up at TJ MAXX in Duluth, MN and will continue to purchase more if I find them. These little books are adorable, and it entices me to write more freely and research more recipes for my small business on a regular basis. The journal is nice, as you can write the date and what you are grateful for... this helps to prepare your day and essentially, your life. 

6). Organic Mint Chocolate Tea. A yummy tea before bedtime. I am a tea drinker naturally, and will always be, I'm pretty sure. First thing in the morning is an organic green or Shaklee tea, and nighttime will be this yummy mint chocolate tea. It contains organic rooibos tea (caffeine and gluten free), helps with sleeping issues, good for the skin (plenty of vitamins), and it tastes amazing! 
Chocolate Mint Tea

7). Dream Nuage Organic Lip Butters. These are on my favorites as they moisturize, nourish, and heal. They are handmade in very small batches with certified organic ingredients; almond oil, beeswax, and plant oils. I have received so many lovely compliments since I started this business almost four years ago. It makes me very happy to know people are enjoying them. There are several to choose from, and I will usually have different lip butters each season to change it up a bit. Hooray! 
Dream Nuage Shop

8). Raspberries in Dark Chocolate Mini Bar. I was in Whole Foods one day, when I discovered these mini chocolate bars for my clients. They are a little more than an ounce and have many different flavors. I researched their company, and they are pretty amazing. All of their ingredients have been sourced through ethical and socially responsible means, and they treat their employees very good! I totally love this and don't feel guilty eating these at all! 
Chocolate Bar

I hope that you enjoyed last month's favorites. I would love to know what products you were liking and have adopted as your favorites. 

Have a lovely weekend! Lots of hugs!

Jennifer ♡