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Nothing said I<3U like DIY. Make Mom smile this Mother’s Day with these homemade spa gifts. (She doesn’t have to know they weren’t expensive.)

Vitamin E Facial Scrub Recipe
• 1 cup salt (fine)
• 15 drops vitamin E oil
• 2 tsp olive oil
• ¼ bar leftover glycerin soap (or regular gentle soap)

You know those scraps of bar soap that are so small that they slip through the shower caddy and don’t lather well at the sink? Don’t throw them out! Instead, use them to make your mom a moisturizing (yet exfoliating) facial scrub. She’ll never know parts of it were recycled.

Use a cheese grater to grate the bar of soap into a mixing bowl. It will probably clump. Pour the salt and oils into the bowl and mix thoroughly. Pour the mixture into a pretty jar. Label, slap a ribbon on it, and present. She can use this same scrub on her hands, feet, and joints, too.

Remind your mom that, as with all facial scrubs, she should never scrub her face so much as massage it, since scrubbing can damage and irritate skin cells, causing dryness and even blemishes.

Antioxidant Sugar Scrub Recipe
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 tbsp Epsom salt
• 3 green tea bags
• 10 tsp olive oil
• 2 tsp honey

Mix all the dry ingredients in a bowl (including the tea; pour in the leaves and discard the tea bags). Add the oil and mix, then the honey, and mix. Pour the homemade sugar scrub into a pretty jar, label, and you’re done. Green tea contains wonderful antioxidants to slow the skin’s aging process, as does honey. Olive oil (and honey) moisturize stressed skin while the sugar and salt will slough away dead skin cells.

Calming Rose Facial Toner Recipe
• 1 cup rose water (store-bought or homemade)
• ¼ cup chamomile tea
• ¾ cup witch hazel

The color won’t be rosy and pretty, but this facial toner will change Mom’s skin for the better. Witch hazel is a well-known astringent, and rose water and chamomile tea will together calm and soothe damaged skin.

To make your own rose water, place 2 cups of fresh rose petals (make sure they’re organic; Mom doesn’t need pesticides in her pores) into a saucepan with just over 2 cups of water. Let it simmer over heat until half of the water has evaporated. Cool, strain, and pour into a jar.

Brew a pot of boiling water, pour into a measuring cup, and walk away for 15 minutes. When the water feels like a warm bath to touch, add the chamomile tea. (Adding tea to boiling water is the surest way to burn the leaves and produce a bitter beverage. Plus, the best nutrients come out at lukewarm temperatures.)
Add the tea to the jar and then add witch hazel. Label and provide a small packet of cotton pads.

Mom’s Spa Door Hanger
• Felt (two colors)
• Fabric glue
• 30” Ribbon
• 3X5” index card

Cut two 9”X7” rectangles of felt in your mom’s favorite color and then a 4”X6” rectangle in white. Cut a 2”X4” window in the white sheet.

Prepare a 30” ribbon and glue to the short sides of one of the two larger pieces of felt. Continue applying glue along all edges of the felt, but leave a 2” space at the center of the bottom edge. You’ll add stuffing through there.

Place the second piece of felt in the same color on top of the one with glue and press down.

Glue the edge of the white piece of felt to the center of the larger felt to create a window, where you’ll write a message. Let the glue dry before continuing.
Fill the pillow with cotton balls or tissue (and a few pinches of potpourri, if you’re game) so it’s just barely puffed, not bursting at the so-called seams. Glue shut and let dry. Write a message, like “Spa Zone: Do Not Disturb,” on a card to display. See full instructions here.

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Bio: Alexis Bonari is a freelance writer and researcher for College Scholarships, where recently she’s been researching Pfizer scholarships as well as non-profit management scholarships. In her spare time, she enjoys square-foot gardening, swimming, and avoiding her laptop.

Does your mother live far away? Even on a budget, it’s easy to ship a great gift to mom this Mother’s Day. No matter what shipping services are to be used, whether it be ground shipping or flat rate shipping, a thoughtful gift can be on its way today.

Here are some gift ideas that can be sent using inexpensive flat rate shipping:

Books or Electronic Book Readers
Depending on the person, a traditional book can be given as a gift. It’s easy to find the perfect book if a favorite author or topic is already known, but a book can also be found based on hobbies. For someone that is into gadgets and interested in cutting down on bookshelf space, an e-book reader is a great idea. Many different brands of e-book readers are now inexpensive enough to be accessible to anyone, and e-books are sometimes offered free of charge or for a discount compared to the hard copy. Many libraries even lend out e-books. Regardless of the weight of a book, flat rate shipping rates will stay the same.

Photos
Framed photos of children and grandchildren are always a popular gift for Mother’s Day. Flat rate boxes offer plenty of room for padding, allowing framed photographs to ship without breaking. Remember to mark the package “fragile” or print “handle with care” on the box. Moms don’t care if the photo is professional or printed from home; it’s the thought that counts.

If ground shipping is the preferred type of shipping services, here are some great ideas that will get there fast:

Jewelry
Flat rate boxes are larger and unnecessary for small items, such as necklaces or rings. Sending a small package via ground shipping can be cheaper for jewelry, and shipping can be fast. For the last minute shopper, a piece of jewelry with a birthstone or the word “Mom” can be found at most general retailers during Mother’s Day, and can be shipped using an expedited shipping method.

Gift cards or Certificates
If mom has a favorite restaurant, spa, or needs to have a night out at the movies, a gift card can help her stop making excuses about not being able to go out. Help mom spend money on herself with a gift card, which can be sent quickly and easily in an envelope with a Mother’s Day card.

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About the Author:
Sally is a 29 year old writer with a passion for health and wellness, frugal living, and culinary arts. In her free time she enjoys playing with her two English bulldogs.

Instead of waiting in line at a crowded restaurant this Mother’s Day, treat your mom to a delicious brunch or homemade dessert! Check out this FREE cookbook with 12 recipes for Mother’s Day! Recipes include Strawberry Stuffed French Toast, Orange Marmalade Muffins, Molten Chocolate Cakes, and my Frozen Lemonade Pie!

By the way, my Frozen Lemonade Pie is easiest enough for a child to make!

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