Last week we showed you some fun gift ideas for Mother’s Day that you can buy, so this week we’re sharing some hands-on ideas for all you crafty ladies... 

Handmade Soap

Powder room soaps are always a lovely gift especially when you add your personal touch by making them yourself. We love this recipe, which uses fruit to give fabulous freshness and pretty fragrance. To create your own collection of pretty handmade soaps, all you need is:

• Glycerin
• Assorted citrus peels, berries, and fruit of your choice. We like to use berries with seeds (exfoliating!) and lemon, but use whatever fruit is your mom’s favorite.
• Clean, dry containers like yogurt cups, milk cartons, juice concentrate cans, etc. Get creative with your shapes and sizes and mix it up for a pretty assortment!
• Heat-resistant glass measuring cup or bowl
• Vegetable oil cooking spray or petroleum jelly
• Spray bottle
• Rubbing alcohol
• Paring knife

First thing’s first: make your purees. After washing and drying your fruit, mash and blend it until you make a fruity puree paste. If you have a food processor or blender, it might come in handy here. Once you have your puree, set aside. 

To determine how much glycerin you need, fill your mold with water and measure the amount. Once you’ve taken note of the amount, dry your mold completely and evenly coat the inside with cooking spray or petroleum jelly.

Chop the glycerin into ½ inch pieces and microwave it in your heat-resistant bowl in 30 second intervals until it’s melted but not boiling. Remove and stir until smooth and let cool (but not solidfy).

Once the glycerin is melted and free of lumps, mix in your yummy purees. Start with 1 teaspoon of puree per cup of soap – you can add more from there – be patient, though: the color will intensify as the puree steeps. 

Almost done! Now all you have to do is pour your soap into the molds. You can fill the mold partially for 1 bar, or fill completely to slice into several. Spray the surface with alcohol to prevent bubbles from forming. Now it’s just a waiting game – let the soap form for about 20 to 60 minutes depending on size, then transfer to freezer for about 2 hours.

Once your soaps are good and solid, tear away the cartons or pry soap out. Neaten the edges with a pairing knife and put them in a pretty package lined with tissue paper for a lovely heartfelt gift!

Dip-Dyed Stationary and Cards

Elegant stationary is a ladylike essential, so supply your mother’s correspondence collection with original dip dyed note cards and stationary. All you need is:

• Plain white stationary or notecards of your choice. We recommend purchasing your cards at an art or craft supply store where a salesperson can recommend card stock that will hold dye best.
• Plastic storage bin or galvanized-steel bin
• Stir stick
• All-purpose liquid or powder dye
• Paper towel (to test out your dye)

This crafty card trick is surprisingly easy. First, fill the plastic bin with at least 6 inches of hot water. Stir in the dye, adding it little by little and using the paper towel to test the color. If you go overboard, you can always add more water. Once you’ve perfected your color, let your mix settle for a minute so that no more air bubbles rise to the top.

Next, holding your paper level and straight, dip it into the dye to the desired line. Keep it submerged until it has gotten dark enough, then hang to dry. And that’s it!

Etched Glass 

Did you know that etching glass is incredibly easy? All you need is an adhesive stencil, etching paste, and a little patience to personalize any piece of glass. You can really get creative with this, but we think personalizing a baking dish or set of glasses is a pretty and thoughtful way to show mom you care. Here’s how:

Adhere your stencil to the glass, making sure there are no air bubbles near the area to be etched. Using a small brush, apply a thick layer of etching cream and allow it to set for about 30 minutes. After a half an hour, rinse off the etching cream under running water then wash with soap (wear gloves!).  Et voila!

We hope you give these fun and thoughtful gift ideas a try! If you do, be sure to upload photos and share your experience with us! To learn how to submit photos, click here.

Cookbook

This is one of Lauren’s favorite ideas: Create a cookbook for your mother. Include all of your favorite recipes that she makes along with a few new ones that you think she would like to try. Leave a few pages blank so she can add more in. Each year, you can provide her with a new recipe to add to her collection. Better yet, offer to make one of the recipes with her when you give it to her on Mother’s Day.

What other DIY gifts will you be giving mom this year? Tell us about them (and how to do them!) in the comments below.

Also, let us know if you’re going to give any of the above crafts a try!

XO Team LaurenConrad.com

P.S. Don't forget to check out Lauren's complete Mother's Day gift guide too!

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Photo Credit: MarthaStewart.com, 4.bp.blogspot.com, Elle Decor, A Better Bag of Groceries

Mother’s Day is less than two weeks away (it’s on Sunday, May 13th). Translation: It’s time to start thinking about what you’re going to do for your mom on her special day. While some may argue that Mother’s Day is just another “Hallmark holiday,” I beg to differ. I think it is the perfect excuse to show your mother how much you love and appreciate her. Whether you present her with a thoughtful gift or make her something special—it’s the thought that counts. At the end of the day, moms just want a little love and recognition. When I lived at home, I used to surprise my mother with breakfast in bed or I would cook her dinner. Now that I’m out of the nest, we usually do a family brunch and I get her a little something special. Seeing as many of you probably have Mother’s Day on your mind, I thought I would put together a little gift guide…

Here are ten sweet and simple gifts you can give your mother on her special day:

1. Love Knot Necklace… for a little extra sparkle.
2. Monogrammed Buckle Shoulder Bag… for the mom on the go.
3. Enamel Initial Cuff… for a stylish statement.
4. Monogram Cellphone Cases… because personalized is always better.
5. Cook’s Books Set… or better yet, sign up for a cooking class together.
6. MicroGreens Windowsill Grow Box… for the mother who loves to cook.
7. Gift Certificate for a Mani/Pedi… so she can be queen for a day.
8. ModClotch Apron… to stay chic, even in the kitchen.
9. Printed Summer Scarf… the perfect addition to her spring wardrobe. 
10. Brown Sugar Body Polish… for a touch of luxury.

Do you have any creative Mother’s Day DIY gift ideas? If so, share them in the comments below. My team will spotlight the best ideas in a follow up post next week!

XO Lauren 

P.S. Don't forget to install the "Pin It" button into your toolbar so you can pin things from my blog posts! 

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Last week I showed you guys some exclusive snapshots from the photo booth at the release party for my new book, The Fame Game. While the photos were fun, a lot went into the party and I thought it would be nice to post a very special thank you to everyone that made it possible…

Firstly, thank you to Siren Studios for hosting the fete and putting together such a lovely party on the Siren Tower Rooftop. It was a gorgeous venue for the party and I cannot thank you enough!

Other thanks go out to…

ESE Lifestyle (Elie & Marc) for contributing the lovely furnishings and offering so many incredibly creative resources.

Modern Bites for the delicious custom cake and adorable branded cookies. And yes, it tasted as good as it looked!

Sugarbird Sweets & Teas for the gourmet marshmallows. They were so yummy and so cute.

Frosted Cupcakery for the wonderful min-cupcakes. These were definitely my weakness of the night… Too good!

Jackson Shrub Supply for the striking topiaries and hedges… It’s all about the details and these really tied the venue together.

A Candy Store for the fabulous assortment of vintage and modern candies. For me, good candy is a party essential.


Omega Cinema Props for the great set pieces that made the photo booth a total hit!

Classic Party Rentals for providing the glassware and the lovely black carpet (so fitting, right?).


Cocodot for the cool e-vites! I am a big fan of paperless invitations and love the digital selections Cocodot offers.


DJ Johnny Knight and Jilly Hendrix for spinning such a fun set. You guys had everyone dancing late into the night, including my parents!

And last but not least, Kate Martindale for her design expertise and wonderful art direction.

Thank you all for making it such a special night!

For those of you who live in the Los Angeles area, I highly recommend any of the vendors listed above. They are all such a pleasure to work with and I am clearly a big fan of their services.

If you have a great venue or vendor recommendation to share from your town, put the info in the comments below! I’m sure plenty of your fellow LaurenConrad.com members will find the information useful as well…

XO Lauren



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Last year, I shared a fun Spring-themed treat with you guys: Sweet Peep Sushi (or “Peepshi”)! It’s simple, cute and relatively easy to put together. This year, I decided to do another twist on traditional Easter sweets by sharing a fun little last minute not-so-healthy snack you can whip up for guests, kids, or even yourself… Ladies, I present to you, Peep Kebobs! 

Simply pick your favorite soft spring candies (I used Peeps and Reese’s) and string them onto a bamboo skewer. Present them on a platter for guests and voila—you have yourself a festive, sugary springtime snack in minutes!

Whether you celebrate Easter or not, Peep Kebobs are the perfect treat to satisfy your spring sweet tooth. They’re a surefire crowd pleaser plus they’re ridiculously easy to make too. 

Do you have any ideas for fun spring-themed treats? If so, share your ideas in the comments below!

XO Lauren

P.S. Not a Peep fan? Check out my favorite Sunday brunch recipe for Blueberry Boy Bait!



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Happy Valentine’s Day! Since I’ll be celebrating with girlfriends tonight, I decided to have my friend, Jilly Hendrix, put together a mix. It’s the perfect soundtrack to turn on while cooking a Valentine’s Day feast before turning on a chick flick and forgetting about all your V-Day woes...

“Here are my top 10 songs to listen to this Valentine’s Day. I decided to choose all of my favorite female singers. Hope you enjoy!” – Jilly Hendrix

1. The Knocks featuring Mandy Lee - Midnight City

2. Lana Del Rey - Diet MTN Dew (Get her album on iTunes)

3. Kimbra - Cameo Lover (G.L.O.V.E.S remix)

4. M.I.A -Bad Girls

5. Nicolas Jaar featuring Scout LaRue - With Just One Glance

6. Sylver Tongue - Hook You Up

7. Jessie J - Domino

8. Little Dragon -Shuffle A Dream (Make sure to get their album on itunes!)

9. Skrillex featuring Ellie Goulding - Summit (Prometheus Remix)

10. Charli XCX - Nuclear Seasons (Michael Brun Remix)

What are your plans for tonight? Also, what songs are you listening to these days?

XO Lauren

P.S. Don’t forget to follow Jilly on Twitter @JillyHendrix and check out her website, JillyHendrix.com!

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I don’t know about you, but when it comes to Valentine’s Day, chocolate is one of the only things on my mind. So if you’ve got a knack for crafts and a craving for chocolate, this is the Valentine’s DIY for you. Behold: Darling Dynamite! It’s simple, sweet and oh-so-clever. Roll a few up for friends or give one to your special someone with a cute card. No matter what, it’s a sweet way to say, “You’re the bomb!”

Makes 1 Darling Dynamite

What you will need…

• 3 packs of Rolos
• 1 sheet of red construction paper
• 2 black pipe cleaners
• scotch tape

Instructions

1. Trim the construction paper into three pieces and wrap each piece around a pack of Rolos and secure with tape. Hold onto the excess construction paper for now.
2. Wrap the pieces of construction paper around each pack of Rolos and secure with a bit of tape.
3. Gather the three packs of wrapped Rolos into a bunch and secure with a pipe cleaner.
4. Using the excess construction paper from Step #1, make a tag with the message “Darling, you’re dynamite!” (Other message suggestions: “You’re a blast!” or “You’re the bomb!”) String the tag onto the pipe cleaner.
5. Lastly, the second pipe cleaner in the middle of the three packs of Rolos, trimming off the end so that your “fuse” is an inch or two long.

Isn’t this an adorable idea?

Do you have a crafty Valentine idea? Share it in the comments below. Better yet—upload a photo and share the link for all to see!

XO Lauren

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Just because our days of exchanging Valentine’s Day cards at school are over doesn’t mean we can’t give our friends a little something on V-Day. Today I am going to show you how to make an adorable little DIY gift to give to your friends for Valentine’s Day. It’s called a Lucky in Love Jar!


Makes one Lucky in Love Jar

Here’s what you will need…

• 1 shiny, lucky penny
• red or pink ribbon
• mason jar
• hot glue gun
• gift tag
• 1 bag of Sweethearts (or your other favorite candy)

Instructions

1. Using the hot glue gun, glue your lucky penny smack dab in the middle of the tag (heads up, of course).
2. Next, take a letter stamp set or a Sharpie and write the message “Here’s to getting lucky in love” onto the gift tag around the penny.
3. Use the ribbon to tie the tag onto a mason jar and fill it with Sweethearts or your other favorite candy.

Are you going to give this DIY a try? Also, if you have a cute V-Day craft, share your idea in the comments below!

XO Lauren

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Valentine’s Day is great if you’re attached, but what about the rest of us? Personally, I think it’s a great excuse for a party. As in a singles soirée! Invite all your single gal pals over, cook dinner together, open a bottle of Skinnygirl White Cranberry Cosmo (if you’re of legal age—it's only 100 calories, it's pre-mixed, ready to serve and pretty amazing) and rehash the best bits from your favorite chick flicks together. (Who needs sappy cards and candlelit dinners anyway?) In honor of all the single ladies out there who will celebrate V-Day solo, here are my top 10 chick flicks to soirée the night away to:

1. The Notebook
Best Quote: “If you’re a bird I’m a bird.”


2. Dirty Dancing
Best Quote: “Nobody puts Baby in a corner.” (Was that even a question?)


3. The Sweetest Thing
Best Quote: “I had them take out all the calories for you.”


4. She’s All That
Best Quote: “You didn't really think I'd leave for All-Star ‘Road Rules’ and still be dating you? Oh, you did? That's so sweet.”


5. The Wedding Planner
Best Quote: “You smell like sweet red plums and grilled cheese sandwiches.”


6. 10 Things I Hate About You
Best Quote: “I like my Sketchers, but I LOVE my Prada backpack.”


7. Titanic
Best Quote: “I’m the king of the world!”


8. Clueless
Best Quote: “Okay, so you’re probably going, ‘Is this like a Noxzema commercial or what?’ But seriously, I actually have a way normal life for a teenage girl.”


9. Pretty Woman
Best Quote: “I want the fairy tale.”


10. It’s Complicated
Best Quote: “You’ve gone native. I was into it!”


How funny are some of those trailers? I had the best time watching them when I put this post together... I swear the same guy does all of the voice-overs for these things! Ha!

What’s your all-time favorite chick flick?

Also, which movie do you think is missing from my list? Tell me in the comments (it was tough picking only 10)!

If you are attached, click here to check out my dude-approved Valentine's Day gift guide!

XO Lauren

P.S. Single ladies, this one’s for you:


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This is my favorite little craft to put together for Valentine’s Day: Spare Kisses! If you don’t have an alphabet stamp set, you can use pretty markers or glitter pens to write the script onto the bag.


What you will need…

• Small burlap bags
• Alphabet rubber stamp kit
• Red ink pad
• Hershey’s kisses

Instructions

1. Using the rubber stamp kit and red ink, stamp the phrase “Spare Kisses” directly onto the burlap bags.
2. Fill bags with Hershey’s kisses and enjoy!

Are you going to give anyone Spare Kisses? What’s the best Valentine you’ve ever received?

XO Lauren

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Let’s be honest, most people see Valentine’s Day as a “Hallmark holiday” which gives V-Day a pretty bad wrap. Naysayers aside, I see it as a great excuse to show a little love to the special people in your life. Whether you’re single or attached, over the next few weeks I’ll be giving you plenty of ideas to make your loved ones feel loved. I’ll be posting some fun Valentine’s Day DIY crafts and I’ll be enlightening you on how to do V-Day in the singles lane. Best of all? I’ll be rehashing my best and worst Valentine’s Day experiences on February the 14th! Trust me, it’s going to be juicy. In the meantime though, I’ve put together 10 great guy-friendly gift ideas to give to your man on Valentine’s Day:

1. For the sappy (or long distance) lover, give a Love Letter Envelope and place your Valentine inside.


2. Bake your sweetheart (or friends) these delicious red velvet brownies I found via Smells Like Home.


3. Give your honey your favorite cologne…


4. For anyone who’s not a fan of good old V-Day, a funny card is a must. (The bacon card is from here and the pink card is from here.)

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5. I saw this next idea on Pinterest and couldn’t resist… Give your special someone a basket that holds 12 envelopes labeled with each month of the year. Inside each envelope are the details for one pre-planned (or pre-paid) date! Click here to read more about Shannon Brown’s adorable idea!


6. Give your guy the coolest shades money can buy: Limited Edition Steve McQueen sunglasses by Persol. Warning: These can be major ego boosters!


7. They say the best way to a man’s heart is through his stomach. So why not bake up some heart-shaped calzones? Click here to check out Kristin Fitch’s recipe on Craftzine.  


8. Get your tech-obsessed guy a sleek iPad cover like this one from Barneys! The silver lining? It’s an unobtrusive way to give your non-metro man a quick pop of color!


9. If he’s a music junkie, find his favorite LP album and frame it for him. Instant wall art that’s as thoughtful as it is cool. (Heads Up: Urban Outfitters has a lot of great records for sale on their website.)


10. Or, last but not least, give him a “dude approved” picture frame, like this one, with a silly (or sweet) photograph of the two of you.


What’s the best Valentine’s Day gift you’ve ever given a guy?

Mine was a home cooked meal

XO Lauren

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Happy New Year everyone! Wishing you the best of luck in 2012. Cheers to good health, success and love in the New Year!

XO Lauren

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