6 Simple Last Minute DIY Holiday Gifts

As a long time avid DIY'er I absolutely love making our friends and family some homemade goodies for the holidays. This year I thought I would share a few of my simple DIY recipes with my readers in case you're in need of some last minute gifts or stocking stuffers. These all make great gifts for party hosts, teachers, neighbours, family and friends, and most can be made in a few minutes. 

Irish Cream

I started making this delicious Smitten Kitchen Irish Cream Recipe last year and it has quickly become a favourite everywhere we take it. This Irish cream is so much creamier than the stuff you grab off the shelf at the store, plus it's only got 5 ingredients and lasts weeks in the fridge...we have never managed to test the longevity, but I believe the recipe ;) 

Simply mix the 5 ingredients in your blender, grab some cute glass bottles from Ikea or your local dollar store and fill them up. My family especially enjoyed the mini stocking stuffer bottles I did last year. Perfect for your Christmas morning coffee.

Peppermint Patties

I used to make tons of complicated Christmas cookies, but now that I have 3 kids I have limited time for making dough, rolling it out, cutting, icing etc, so I've moved on to some simpler recipes. Mainly ones that involves melting chocolate in the microwave like this Homemade Peppermint Pattie Recipe. So easy to make and always a big hit parties. You really can't go wrong with mint and chocolate at the holidays. 

Hot Chocolate Mix

Kids freaking love hot chocolate, so what's better than a jar of homemade hot chocolate mix with mini marshmallows? I know my kids would love this gift, so that's why I made a bunch for our friends and neighbours with little ones. I hope they enjoy it over the winter holiday. Once again this is a Smitten Kitchen recipe and only has a few simple ingredients. You toss them in the food processor, mix them up and divy it into jars. Couldn't be easier. 

Bum Balm

This DIY Bum Balm is an absolute favourite in our house. Best of all, it's not just for bums! This stuff is amazing at this time of year when dry and cracked skin flares up. Friend's and family now ask me for jars of it for their winter skin. So I thought it was appropriate to share it again here as a great holiday gift. 

Honey Coconut Face Scrub

This luxurious and simple Honey Coconut Face Scrub Recipe has been a long time favourite of mine. This week I whipped up a giant batch in mere minutes to gift to some of the lovely ladies in my life. *Please Note: I recommend using a plastic lid on anything that will be kept in the bathroom. Metal ones tend to rust which isn't so nice on your face scrub. I will switch these up before gifting them.

Homemade Turtles 

I'm a chocolate and caramel addict so it's no surprise that I wanted to replicate these babies at home. I've tried making them with my own caramel several times, but always come back to this Homemade Turtle Recipe with the little square caramels. Mmmm...sometimes the lazy microwave version is totally the answer ;) Personally I like chocolate all the way around my turtles so I don't just cover the top. I pick up the pecan caramel cluster (solid from a few minutes in the freezer) and put it on a fork. I toss it in the chocolate gently upside down and flip it over, then I strain off the excess chocolate on the fork before resting it on parchment paper to cool. 

This week I will be making up some more batches of these goodies and dropping them off with friends and family. Let me know if you make any of these Holiday DIYS for your loved ones. I would love to hear how they go over. 

Happy Holidays!

Care xo

DIY Honey & Coconut Face Scrub

For the last few years I have been searching for a great natural face wash. Something that isn't full of harsh chemicals, dyes, fragrances or unnecessary ingredients and that leaves my skin feeling healthy and looking great. Since I've suffered with eczema in the past I'm very picky about what goes on my sensitive skin. I've tried and tested dozens of "natural" skin care products over the years, all costing a near fortune, and to be honest I wasn't happy with any of them. I also question how natural many of these products are. With so many companies greenwashing their image to make us think that their products are natural, it's hard to keep up.

Because I have combination skin (both oily & dry at times) I was in need of a gentle exfoliator that would also moisturize at the same time. I wasn't happy with the commercial products available so I turned to the internet for a recipe, and what I found was awesome. My friend, Selena Burgess, had created a recipe for a Honey & Coconut Face Scrub. I was a bit sceptical at first, but after trying it I was so pleased that I did, and also a bit annoyed I waited so long. I've been using Selena's recipe for 3 months now and am thrilled with the results. I have less black heads, no dry patches and my skin feels super soft. 

The best part is that Selena's recipe is simple to make and only uses 5 ingredients that many people have readily available at home: water, baking soda, baking powder, raw honey & coconut oil. So if you've been searching for a natural way to keep you skin looking bright, smooth & beautiful, bust open your pantry and try making Selena's recipe. She's an all round cool chick and always has amazing ideas. Her new blog They Roar just launched recently and is sure to be a big hit. Check it out! For the full recipe click here.

Enjoy!

- Carolyn