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

There are some talents that every lady should have in her bag of tricks. Flower arranging might not seem like the most necessary skill of the bunch, but it’s a wonderful craft to master. Why? Because you’ll be able to create Pinterest-worthy bouquets for any occasion without spending a pretty penny of pre-made arrangements. (And who doesn’t love fresh flowers to brighten up their home? And save money?)

A well-arranged bouquet is a lot like a well-styled outfit: Smart layers, contrast, and personal touches. I put together five flower-arranging tips to help you master the art of arrangements. 

1. Think Outside the Vase 

Who says your gorgeous arrangement should be limited to a vase? Get creative and try placing your flowers in a mason jar, ceramic bowl or even a teacup! 

2. Stabilize 


To make your life easier, place clear cellophane tape in a grid, across the top of your bowl, vase or jar. This is especially important if you’re working with a wide-mouthed bowl or vase because the flowers will have a tendency to fall over otherwise. 

3. Snip Your Stems 


To keep your flowers healthy, snip the bottom of each stem at a 45-degree angle before placing it in your vase. This step allows the flowers to absorb the most water possible. And, if you really want to make your arrangement last, cut the stems every few days. 

4. Play with Texture 


Uniform arrangements of one type of flower make a lovely and bold statement, but if you’re mixing multiple types, bring in a variety of textures to give it more dimension and interest. Try bunching dense flowers with pops of airier sprigs sprinkled throughout, like the arrangement above. 

5. Consider Placement


To help your gorgeous arrangement last longer, keep it off televisions, appliances or heating or cooling units, which give off heat and wilt flowers. The ideal spot for your arrangement is somewhere out of direct sunlight and away from hot or cold drafts. 

When in doubt think simple and classic and just have fun with it!  

Have you tried your hand at flower arranging? 

If not, give it a try by following my suggestions outlined above. And snap a photo of the finished product and upload it to your LaurenConrad.com profile page for a chance to be the Chic of the Week. 

XO Lauren 

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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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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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During the winter, there’s nothing better than curling up with a delicious cup of hot chocolate after a long day spent battling the icy outdoors. (And when I say “icy” I mean temps dropping below 70-degrees here in California. At least we can pretend to have seasons…haha.) While store-bought gifts are wonderful, homemade presents are even better! Especially when chocolate is in the mix (literally). Today I’m going to show you how to make an inexpensive, yet thoughtful, holiday gift: Hot Cocoa Mix in a Jar. Not only will you be giving your friends and family something sweet to sip on, you will also be giving them an excuse to take the time to snuggle up with a cup of hot cocoa and relax. And we all know, nothing beats that.

What you will need…

• 1 mason jar
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 cup cocoa
• 2 ½ cups powdered milk
• 1 teaspoon fine salt
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper (Alton Brown’s secret ingredient!)
• ½ cup mini chocolate chips
• ½ cup mini marshmallows
• Ribbon
• Gift tag

Instructions

1. Mix together all ingredients except the chocolate chips and marshmallows.
2. Divide powder mixture into mason jars leaving room for chocolate chips and marshmallows. Then add a layer of chips and a layer of marshmallows on top of the mix.
3. Write these instructions on stationary paper: Combine ½ cup of mix with 1 cup of hot water. Spinkle with marshmallows & chips and enjoy!
4. Fold up instructions and place on top mix in the jar (or tie onto the outside of the jar). Seal tightly.
5. Finish it off by tying a ribbon around the lid of the jar or decorating the mason jar as your see it (the above photo is great decorating inspo).

Are you going to give a little sweetness this holiday season?

XO Lauren

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Recipe Source: Food Network

Photo: Andrea Doizer & Simply Photography via Ruffled

How many of you save the cork after finishing a bottle of wine? If you do, you’re in luck because today’s DIY Gift Guide craft is just the project for you: Cork Coasters! They make for excellent presents for all the winos in your life. Or, tie them onto a nice bottle of wine for a simple yet thoughtful host gift. Below are instructions on how to make cork coasters.

Makes 2 coasters

Here’s what you will need…

• 16 corks (Make sure they are all equal in size as some corks are a tiny bit bigger than others.)
• hot glue gun + clear glue

Instructions

1. Lay out all of your corks and group together similar size corks for each coaster.
2. Using a hot glue gun, glue together eight corks in pairs of two. Make sure to apply glue in thin linear strips to avoid excess glue running over the sides.
3. Once the glue has dried, lay out paired corks in alternating pattern as shown in photo #3. Then glue paired corks together.
4. Allow glue to dry for one minute and voila—you have yourself an adorable little coaster.

Are you going to give this DIY a try?

XO Lauren

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In addition to clear furniture, white lacquer home furnishings are making a splash in the design world. Classic pieces have been popping up everywhere in high gloss white finishes instead of traditional materials such as wood or metal. Whether it’s Jonathan Adler’s cubes, West Elm’s mod floor lamp, Horchow’s Baroque Chandelier or even Ethan Allen’s glossy lampshade, one thing is clear: White lacquered accents are in!

A simple way to work this trend into your home is by spray-painting a home accessory with high gloss white paint. You can paint almost anything—lamps, vases, candlesticks…you name it. I was so inspired after researching this trend I decided to give it a shot. One sheet of sandpaper, three brass candleholders and two cans of spray paint later I was left with three beautifully finished candlesticks clad in high gloss white. Très chic!

The entire operation took about 30 minutes, plus two hours for drying. Needless to say, it was well worth the wait. Below are step-by-step instructions on how you can transform old lackluster home items into trendy, glossy new pieces. Photos courtesy of yours truly. Happy crafting!

What you will need…

• Vintage brass candlesticks (If you want to refinish something that’s wood or metal, my instructions will work for you too! You can apply this DIY to most home accessories)
• Sandpaper
• High gloss white spray paint
• Primer spray
• Newspaper or drop cloth (It’s going to get messy!)

Instructions

1. Pour a little water onto the sandpaper.
2. Sand the entire surface of the candlesticks (or item you are going to paint). Make sure the surface is very clean before sanding.
3. Spray all surfaces with one coat of primer. Dry for 30 minutes to one hour.
4. Finally, spray all surfaces with two coats of high gloss white paint. Dry for one hour. If you think it needs one more coat, repeat this step.

There you have it—high style home décor in just four steps!

Are you going to give this DIY a try? If so, what are you going to paint?

Want to win the candlesticks I made? Leave 1 comment below telling about a recent DIY you did. I'll announce the winner next week!

XO Lauren

UPDATE: The winner is Jordon Beresford! Congrats!

Jordana said, "Recently i've been doing a ton of DIY projects. i created a jewelry hanger/holder out of a vintage picture frame, fabric and twine, an embroidered headboard out of fabric, batting, foam and plywood, as well as a lacquered lamp!"

Here are a few photos of Jordana's DIY projects...

Inspiring, right? Congrats again Jordan! And thanks to everyone who entered this giveaway!

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Well ladies, this is the third and final post in my DIY Halloween Costume Guest Blogger Series. Our last guest blogger is LaurenConrad.com member Noel Fortier. Congrats Noel! Noel will show you how to make a beautifully crafted peacock costume. I am somewhat obsessed with it... It’s brilliant! Anyway, let me know if you give it try.

XO Lauren

Hi everyone! This was my costume last year. I got tons of complements and many people asked how I made it. Here is what I did…
 
Step 1: Take a strip of elastic with sequins on it and a blue feather boa. Cut the elastic band so it will comfortably fit around your waist and secure it with a safety pin. Next, pin one end of the boa to the sequin strip and loop it up and down, attaching the boa to the elastic band with small safety pins. See photo below for better understanding:

The resulting skirt, should look something like this:

Step 2:  Find a tight fitting tank you don't mind changing up. Add the same color elastic sequins wherever you would like on the tank using hot glue gun. I chose to put it down the center because everywhere else what just a mesh material. Add feathers to the cups of the top. Use any colors you want to match your peacock feathers. Attach feather and sequins using hot glue.

Step 3:  Using a handheld fan or a mask, attach a variety of lengths of peacock feather so that they are spread out. I found my feathers at an online hobby store. Arrange the feathers so that they fan out and look full. I used the hot glue to attach everything. It won't be extremely sturdy just yet so be careful holding it up.

Final Look:  Add some fun make-up or face paint to tie the whole look together. Put the skirt on with hot pants (or biker shorts) under, then the top. I wore bright yellow/green tights to add to the look as well. Tie the base of you feathers around your waist and hide the tie under your top and the waistband of your skirt. Then, loop two strings through the feathers and tie them to your straps for added support so they don't fall backwards. You can't ride in the car like this, so do this right before you enter the party. The fan of feathers should be really easy to take off and on if you do this without making any knots.

There you go! This is what I did to create this costume.

XO Noel

P.S. Has anyone tried out Pauli’s Dorothy tutorial or Laura Pifer’s Carrie Bradshaw tutu skirt yet? If so, upload a photo and post it to your profile. I’d love to see your handy work! I hope you guys are enjoying these DIY costume tutorials!

XO Lauren

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I hope everyone had fun with Laura Pifer’s Carrie Bradshaw costume tutorial. This is the second installment of my DIY Halloween Costume Guest Blogger Series. This next tutorial comes to you all the way from Argentina… Congrats to LaurenConrad.com member Pauli of The Small Pocket Diaries! Your Dorothy costume was well constructed and your directions were easy to follow and simple to do. Thank you so much for the great submission!

Below is Pauli’s tutorial on how to make your own Dorothy costume. Have fun kiddies!

XO Lauren

What you will need for the apron:

• 70 inches of gingham fabric (light blue and white combination)
• 4 white buttons
• White thread and needle
• Pins

Props (I already owned most or bought them for cheap):

• Red shoes (flats, stiletto heels, Mary Janes—you name it…the sparklier, the better!)
• White button down shirt with short sleeves
• White or light blue ankle socks
• A small whicker basket (can be used as purse)
• A stuffed dog
• 39.4 inches of blue (or red or light blue) satin ribbon as head band

Instructions for the apron:

1. Cut a piece of fabric of 39''x24'' for the skirt (take into account I am only 4'9'' tall, so maybe you should make the hem allowance a few inches longer). Sew the trim on the bottom of the skirt along the length of the fabric and then sew the two 24'' ends together but not all the way up! Stop sewing 6 inches before the end, leaving a gap.

2. Now cut a patch of 8''x13'' for the top piece. Sew the hem on all four sides to give it a clean finishing. Then, sew it to the front of the skirt, in the middle part.

3. With the remaining fabric, cut 2 strips of 25 inches long and 2 inches wide, and a third stripe of 51''x 4''. The first two strips are sewed to the front part (after proper hemming on the sides) Add two white buttons at each end on the top piece.

4. The last strip (after proper hemming to the sides and the ends as well) will work as your waist tie. Sew it to the skirt, below the top piece, all the way to the back, leaving around 3 inches unsewn on each end to tie it up. Last but not least, sew the last two buttons onto the waist tie, at the front, aligned with the other two buttons on the top piece.

5. Voilá! There you have your Dorothy apron. Wear it over your button down shirt, own those ruby slippers and make sure your Toto doesn't run away!

Happy Halloween!

XO Pauli of B&P

Will you try Pauli's Dorothy costume?

I hope you enjoyed my skincare routine post. For me, facials are an important part to maintaining a healthy complexion. I typically get a professional facial every other month. While professional facials will cost you a pretty penny, there are plenty of spa-worthy products on the market that are perfect for giving yourself an inexpensive at-home facial.

Here’s how you can give yourself a lovely at-home facial in just 5 easy steps:

What you will need…

• gentle facial cleanser
• exfoliating scrub
• washcloth
• face mask (clay-based for oily skin, cream or gel mask for dry skin)
• face moisturizer

Instructions

1. Clean. Remove all makeup and then wash your face, neck and ears with a good facial cleanser.
2. Exfoliate. Using your fingers gently rub an exfoliating facial scrub in small circular motions all over your face. Make sure you focus on areas around your nose and forehead. If certain areas of your face are oilier than others, give that section an extra scrub. Go the extra mile and do a lip scrub too! Click here for my DIY lip scrub recipe.
3. Steam. There are a few ways to steam your face (over the stove, using a steamer), but the safest way is to do the washcloth trick. Fill your sink with warm water and soak a washcloth in it. Ring out the towel and then press it to your face. Repeat this 2 to 3 times.
4. Mask. If you have oily skin, use a clay mask. For dry skin, I suggest using a hydrating cream or gel mask. Depending on the mask, leave it on for the suggested amount of time and then rinse completely. (DIY Alert: Making your own mask is very easy. An orange and yogurt mask is especially simple. Mix 1 tablespoon of plain Greek yogurt with the juice of about one fourth of an orange. Spread the mixture evenly over your face and rinse after 5 to 10 minutes.)
5. Hydrate. Last by not least, moisturize! Smooth a nice, thick moisturizer over your face and neck.

Is your skincare routine working for you? Share your tips and tricks in the comments below (especially if you have any fun DIY face mask recipes). I will compile the best suggestions to share in a follow up post.

XO Lauren

P.S. Click here for a great recipe on how to make your own citrus infused facial refresher.

Photo: weheartit