Hot Cocoa Sugar Scrub

This is a great last minute gift to whip up (and it literally takes only about a minute!). Great as a hostess gift or stocking stuffer, you probably have almost everything in your cupboards right now!

To make this sugar scrub you will need:

1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 Tablespoon cocoa powder
1/2 cup oil of choice (a very light oil with little odor is important I recommend Sunflower of Safflower oils, Grapeseed oil also works well)
1/2 teaspoon Vitamin E Oil (optional-helps preserve freshness of product, recommended to increase shelf life)

You can also get extra festive and add in some peppermint essential oil if you want to make Peppermint Hot Cocoa scrub(about 3 drops should do)!


Mix all of the ingredients together well and put into container of your choice. I recommend plastic containers with air tight lids (you can find lots of pretty containers online or in craft stores) as plastic will not break should it be dropped in a bathroom or kitchen and risk causing injury. This is an especially yummy Winter scrub and I love it for my super dry hands and elbows this time of year! Simply wet hands, rub on the scrub and rinse thoroughly.


This product will stay fresh about 2 weeks without the addition of vitamin E, with the vitamin E oil it has a shelf life of 4-6 weeks (you can also elongate the shelf life of your product by storing in the refrigerator).


The link above is a Google affiliate Ad, any purchases made from the above link will result in a commission to myself, this is not a paid post.

Give Handmade

It's Holiday time, and while I will be posting a few easy crafts that can be done at the last minute, I fully acknowledge that we can't make all the gifts for everyone ourselves. That is when it's great to have sites like Etsy, that can provide lots of great handmade gifts for the awesome people in your life! Here are a few shops with super cute items that I found while perusing gifts the other day, I hope you enjoy them :)

Pictured at the top of the post are some earrings from Adriana Soto. I really love her jewelry and plan on "hinting" at my husband that several items here would be a great addition to the loot in my stocking. There are several great statement pieces, as well as some more understated things that would cater to almost anyone's taste and budget.

I found some great cards and stationery from Sweet Bella Stationery. I originally found their Etsy shop, but they have this great website you can check out. Not only are the Holiday cards cute, but don't forget Thank You notes for all the gifts you receive!

When doing a handmade post, I can't ignore all the great talent that comes from right here in Portland, OR. Nell & Mary is a great shop with various home textiles and they are great! They use eco friendly materials and hand print the designs in their small Portland studio. Why get your friends and family members the same old pillows, dishtowels, etc that everyone else has? Get a gift that is unique and handmade in the U.S.!

Finally, if you are looking for a super cute stocking stuffer, look no further than these great coin purses from oktak. They have bright fabrics and cute embroidery details! I, of course, am partial to this one with little rain clouds :)

One of the greatest things about Etsy shops is that a brief convo with the owner can often get you one of a kind, personalized items, and this time of year bargaining for gift wrap to get your item shipped to the recipient on time isn't hard either!