July Cara Box {nautical}

This month I participated in the Cara box gift box exchange again via Wifessionals, with the ever so appropriate theme for summer: nautical.  I realize that nautical has been a trend and is possibly overdone at this point, but as someone who has always loved all things nautical (I am a July baby after all) I couldn't have been happier.  I was partnered up with Stefanie and Ashley this month, both of whom it was nice getting to know better via their blogs and email conversations.  It was a bit difficult to keep up this month as I was teaching summer school full time and was swamped with lesson planning and grading.  Anyway, when I arrived home from my last day teaching and saw the little box on my porch, I ran in the house and couldn't wait to open it.  Thanks so much Ashley, I loved everything and my house is now finally feeling a bit more summer-like.

Ashley sent me a tumbler, sunglasses, blue and white nail polish (very nautical), the cutest notebook, an Anchors aWeigh sign (I believe she made), post-its for my upcoming school year (little did she know, I live my daily life by post-it to do lists), and a super cute picture frame with an anchor and a painted wooden A (both not pictured).  SOOO thoughtful!!! =)

Homemade Sugar Scrub

Last month, for Mother's Day, I decided to make something to go along with what I bought for my mom and mother-in-law.  I wanted to make something they would use and feel slightly pampered by (it is Mother's Day after all).  I decided to make a sugar scrub in order to remove dead skin cells and refresh their skin and senses (perfect for a summer gift).  The scrub was so easy to make and took less than 5 minutes so it's a perfect DIY if you have little time.

You need:
glass jar with a lid
sugar (I prefer sugar in the raw)
oil (olive, almond, avocado, safflower, grapeseed, coconut)
scented oils or you can actually use lemon zest for lemon, real lavender, sage, ect.
label
twine (optional)

I do not really use a measured out recipe.  You want to make sure the mixture has enough oil so it can be easily stirred and all sugar has been saturated.  Add a few drops of scented oils and feel free to mix scents (I used lemon and sage for one and lemon, sage and a little tea tree oil for the other).

(pardon, the picture quality, my camera battery was dead and I only had my iPhone)