In this tutorial, you will learn how to cut balsa wood and basswood with your Cricut Machine! For the past little while, I have been experimenting with cutting wood using my Cricut. While the Cricut Explore Air isn’t technically the best for cutting wood, it is possible, and after a lot (and I mean a lot), of trial and error, I think I finally figured out the best ways to cut balsa wood and basswood! I’m eagerly awaiting the release of the Knife Blade, which will make it even easier to cut different kinds of wood (and thicker pieces, as well), but until then, I’m happy to know that I can with ..read more

Do you know what makes a great holiday gift?  Anything handmade.  It lets the receiver know that you took some time to make something just for them.  And who doesn’t like a little something to pamper themselves?  My Peppermint Sugar Scrub Recipe is a perfect addition to your handmade holiday gifts. Welcome to day two of Handmade Christmas at Clarks Condensed! In case you missed the first day, Shinee’s Pistachio Cherry Fudge is to die for – be sure to check it out and to come back tomorrow for more! Supplies and tools 1/2 cup coconut oil 1 cup sugar 15 peppermint candies 1 ..read more

Make your own DIY Easter baskets using upcycled materials from around the house! Here is our easy tutorial for a DIY Milk Jug Easter Basket – perfect for all ages.  DIY Easter Baskets Easter is quickly approaching – I totally didn’t even realize it was in March this year until last week. As with other holidays, I love celebrating Easter. One of my goals this year was to do more fun crafts and activities with Jack, and the holidays are the perfect time for that. We had a couple of bottles of Tampico, and I thought that it would be fun to make some DIY Easter Baskets for Jack and Oliver wi ..read more

The DreamBox 2 is the latest crafting organization masterpiece from Create Room. I recently had the chance to check it out and put it to the test. As a loyal user of Create Room products, I was excited to see if it was worth the hype. In this article, I share my thoughts to help you decide if it’s the right time to buy this for you. You can use the code CLARKS100 to save $100 if you decide it is! It’s been nearly eight years since my WorkBox 3.0 arrived in my driveway, and I changed my approach to craft room organization. To say it changed my life may sound dramatic – but it’s true. As a chro ..read more

SportFlex is a unique iron-on material released by Cricut that was specifically designed to work well on stretchy materials. In this post, you’ll learn how to use it, tips and tricks for usage, and some project ideas! Cricut has released various types of new products such as new SportFlex iron on materials in recent years. SportFlex Iron-On™ has been one of the most popular – and for good reason. Although it works fairly similarly to regular iron-on, there are a few things to keep in mind, so today I thought I would share a little bit more about how to work with SportFlex Iron-On™ for amazing ..read more

Many women experience low progesterone in early pregnancy – does it pose a problem? In this post, I share my experience with being on progesterone supplements and what I feel others should know as they are faced with this decision.  In case you haven’t heard (which you probably haven’t…unless you a personal friend of mine), we are expecting our third baby! While this baby has taken a little bit more work to get here, we are so excited and grateful for a healthy pregnancy thus far. Because I had suffered a previous early loss in September, as soon as I found out I was pregnant, I called t ..read more

Are you considering a Bosch Universal Plus Mixer? Perhaps you just bought one and are feeling a little overwhelmed? You’ve come to the right place! Here is your ultimate guide to the Bosch Universal Plus Mixer – and where to get the best price AND a 20% off coupon! Baking has always been my “specialty” when it comes to cooking. I feel like it’s a great way to relieve stress, and there’s just something about baking that makes me feel all warm and cozy. Now, do my baked goods always look beautiful? No. Especially when it comes to cake decorating – but I can almost always guarantee that 9 times ..read more

We all know that Leap Day is a rare occurrence, but did you know it is also Rare Disease Day? It’s a day to raise awareness, work towards cures, and find solutions for rare diseases. This is the story of Miriam, a girl living with a rare disease, and her parents navigating the journey of raising a child with a rare disease. If you think your child might have a rare disease, check out some of the resources highlighted in the story. Getting to know Miriam Miriam is a vibrant, cheerful, and determined five-year-old living with Myhre Syndrome, (pronounced my-ree). It is so rare, less than 300 peop ..read more

This easy carrot cake is made with a spice cake mix – but you would never guess. It is fully loaded and topped with homemade cream cheese frosting. DELICIOUS! I always love letting my kids pick their cake flavors for their birthdays and making them come alive. Oliver has his birthday planned to a T this last year – and thankfully, his baby brother came early instead of on Oliver’s birthday (which is when we anticipated his arrival). But still – I was only 12 days postpartum, so we had to keep things simple. Oliver really wanted a carrot cake. But I didn’t have the energy to make one from scr ..read more

Dealing with itching can be frustrating, but you don’t always need to rely on store-bought creams. With a few simple ingredients, you can make your own effective anti-itch cream at home. This can be used for bug bites, dry skin, and more. Here’s how to do it, along with other remedies to help relieve itching. Ingredients 1/4 cup coconut oil (this kind from RMO has great reviews) 1/4 cup safflower oil ¼ cup beeswax or soy wax 2-3 drops raspberry oil 5-10 drops tea tree essential oil 5-10 drops clove essential oil 5-10 drops rosemary essential oil 5-10 drops lavender essential oil 5-10 drops l ..read more