DIY Coffee Sugar Scrub

I treated myself to a mani/pedi before I left for Jessica's wedding.  It felt like forever since I had my nails done-- honestly I forgot what soft hands and feet felt like!  

After a long day sipping frozen drinks at the hotel pool last week, I used the sugar scrub in the ladies room.  Jessica and Becca had a good laugh because I used too much and it took some effort to get the oil off my hands -- my super smooth and soft hands, might I add!  

As I continued to obsess about my silky mitts, I remembered the sample of Fresh's Brown Sugar Body Polish I got from Sephora years ago.  The product smelled heavenly and moisturized like no other!  It's pricy, so it ranked pretty low on my list of must-haves and I've never used it again.   Lightbulb. "I could make that!" So cliche, I know!!!  After I came home, I put on my apron and started playing around with kitchen ingredients to make my own scrub.  

Ingredients:

1/2 cup coarsly ground coffee

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup coarse sea salt

3/4 cup oil of choice

For the best scent, I would recommend using almond or coconut oil (heat it up a bit to a liquid state for easy mixing)!  Also, if you use the scrub in the shower you should clean the shower floor afterwards so you don't slip next time.  It's also a good idea to use a drain filter to avoid clogging your pipes!

Mister G loves how this scrub smells!  (He needs a bath today after he rolled around in the sticky plants!)

Do you have any favorite scrub recipes?  Share them in the comment section!  Happy scrubbing!!  xo, Ashley

Happy Birthday Mister J!

It's my husband's birthday today and I made him a "cheeseburger" cake!  The "bun" layers are homemade Lightning Cake and the "all beef patty" is a Chocolate Lightning Cake.  I made a buttercream frosting for A layer of "mayonnaise" on the bottom and whipped up a creamy decorative frosting for the detail on top.  The cheese is an edible yellow sugar sheet and the sesame seeds are tiny sprinkles.  I also made a watercolor bunting to decorate the cake with.  A cake like this certainly doesn't need anything else to jazz it up, but I want John's birthday to be extra special today!  This cake looks really amazing in person-- but I'm going to spend time with my huzz instead of fussing behind my camera tonight!

The ideas for the cake and bunting can be found at Studio DIY.  I just love all of Kelly's ideas and inspirations!  Have a great weekend!!!  xo, Ashley

Best Friends

Hi Gorgeous!  How have you been?  I had a really amazing week in Charleston celebrating Jessica's wedding with my besties-- I hope your week was wonderful too!

Meet my best friends-- Jamie, Becca, and Jessica.  We met almost 10 years ago while we were all working at a small town coffee shop.  Although we live in 4 different states now and are all in different stages of life- we are still the best of friends.

Spending 6 days with them was heaven, but leaving was awful.  I didn't cry as we said our goodbyes- but as I am writing this, on the plane, my eyes are wet and blurry and my heart feels so very heavy. I'm thankful for such beautiful friendships - but right  now I just feel sad and I miss them already!


Jessica's wedding was so seriously stunning!  I can't wait to share it with you soon!   xo, Ashley

Blog Hop

Hey friends!  I'm off to Charleston for my BFF's wedding!

While I'm gone I have some exciting news!  I'm co-hosting a blog hop!!!  Are you ready to network and make some new bloggy friends??  This is an AMAZING opportunity to grow your readership and find some fantastic new blogs to follow too :)

RULES:

Link up to the homepage of your blog.

....follow Host and Co-Hosts {pretty please} feel free to follow by Facebook, Twitter,

or whatever works best for you!

....hop // network // have fun!

If you'd like to post this linky on your blog, grab the code below.

The more, the merrier! Wouldn't you agree? {yay!}

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The lovely host is Kelly at Live Laugh Rowe.  

Here are the other co-hosts!  

Vanessa & Heather @ At the Picket Fence

Ginny @ Chasing Sunshine Karen @ Karen at Home

Rebecca @ My Girlish Whims 
Yours Truly @ Mister G and Me Lesli @ Put a Little Umbrella in your Drink

 

This is a "Blog Hop" - Grab the code {here}!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thanks so much for linking up with us! Wishing you all the best in your bloggy endeavors. Blog on!!

Save the Date! Next Hop: 6/17

<a href="http://www.livelaughrowe.com"><img src="http://i1184.photobucket.com/albums/z329/Kelly_Kuert-Rowe/Buttons/JuneBlogHop.png" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

DIY Wedding: Jessica's Ring Pillow

I can't believe it!  My BFF Jessica is getting MARRIED this weekend!  I am so excited!  How do I contain my excitement?  I get my craft on!

Jessica tried making a bird nest pillow with a satin lining... it didn't go great.  I said, Jessica.  Stop toiling.  I'll take it from here.  Then I promised her a gorgeous lace knit pillow.  I got my pattern and needles out and, wait for it, it was too hard.  (I'm guessing after about 25 more years of knitting I'll be ready to knit one for baby Ivy's wedding.)  I asked Jessica to review this post about DIY Ring Pillows and asked her to give me some input.  We decided on a different ring pillow pattern from Martha Stewart.  That Martha knows how to do a wedding right!!!  

Jessica requested a white linen with teal accent trim.  I couldn't find pre-pleated edge trim at the fabric store, so I made my own.  It was time consuming to mark, fold, pin, and stitch every half inch of 3 yards of ribbon-- but so worth it!  The color is just perfect and I learned a new skill to boot!  Making this ring pillow was mostly catastrophe free, although some parts look a tiny bit off to me.  That could just be because I've been staring at it for a few days now :)  Jessica is no bridezilla- so I know she's going to love it.  I told her, it's not perfect but it's made with love.  That's what a marriage is anyways, right?

I've been getting pretty sentimental about Jessica's upcoming nuptials.  I remember when she first met Leif.  It was 2006, Jessica thought Leif had handsome bike courier style, and I'm pretty sure I invented LAP, leggings as pants.  Believe me, that wasn't a good thing in 2006.  It's been a long courtship and I'm so happy to finally see them tie the knot.  (and so honored to have a little love from my hands in her wedding too!)  The wedding is in Charleston, SC.  I've never been, but I hear it's really a charming town.  All of my BFFs are flying in for the wedding and I couldn't be more jazzed to see them all.  xo, Ashley

Washi Tape + Art Journaling

Hello there friendlies!  This isn't new news, but exciting none the less!  About a month ago I placed an order for 10 rolls of washi tape!  I bought a starter pack that has 6 mini rolls and I also bought 4 regular sized rolls.  I've been in washi heaven, taping anything and everything that might or might not need taping.  

It's been a goal of mine to start art journaling.  I'm a HUGE Sabrina Harrison Ward fan and her work has always been a big inspiration to me.  I've concocted some weird excuses in my mind that have been keeping me from trying my hand at art journaling-- it's complicated, you need a lot of supplies, you need to take a class... False!  It couldn't be further from the truth!  Art journaling is simple, doesn't require many supplies, and anyone can do it!  I've made a few pages so far.  I'm excited to start Elsie's Art Journal e-Course in June when life slows down again.  

Do you have an art journal?  Maybe this or this will inspire you?  xo, Ashley

Life Post: Mint Water

Last weekend John and I rented a boat in Key Largo and went exploring around the islands.  We found a breathtaking patch of mint colored water.  Yes!  Everyone's favorite color this season!  Mint!  

I was a little afraid of meeting a shark!  I put on my life vest and got my float on!

Here's a look at the very handsome Captain John.  He took a boating class a few weeks ago and he was pretty excited to try out his new skills!

Unfortunately this outing resulted in a wicked case of sunburn, sun poisoning, blisters, and peeling.  I was wearing sunscreen- but I waited until I got on the boat to apply it.  I'm going to start wearing sunblock every morning after my shower so when I go out into the sun I'll be ahead of the game!

Hope you all had a great weekend!  xo, Ashley