Enchantment Learning & Living Blog

Welcome to Enchantment Learning & Living, the inspirational space where I write about the simple pleasures, radical self-care, and everyday magic that make life delicious.

Bubble Bath Lover Gift Basket

December 7, 2014

It is a well-known fact that I love a good bubble bath. I love it even more when I can soak for a good long while, drinking a cup of tea or glass of wine, and getting lost in a good book. When the water cools, the tea (or wine) cup is empty, and the bubbles have all faded, I can seek consolation in homemade soap, body scrub, and lush body butter to finish off my decadent bath indulgence.

Over the years I have found that there are others like me. We have even compared notes: to read or not to read? (Always read!) What brand of foaming bubbles creates maximum frothiness for the longest amount of time? (The answer BTW is Everyday Shea Bubble Bath.) Wine or tea? (I tend to go both ways on this one, depending on my mood and the time of day.) Whatever your stance on these all important big life questions, any bubble bath lover agrees that a gift basket stuffed with just-for-you bath time goodies will never go amiss! I break my bubble bath gift basket into four parts: the literature, the beverage, the bath, and the aftermath pampering products:

1. The Literature: Choosing the right book for your bath is like a science. You want something you can get lost in, but also light enough to help you relax and wash away the worries of the week--no Tolstoy or Hugo here! A holiday themed cozy mystery like the one featured in the photo below works well for the cozy reader in your life, but you can also never go wrong with old pulp books or cheesy paperbacks with fun covers. And stick with paperbacks--hardbacks are too nice to risk a dunk in the tub.

2. The Beverage: This depends entirely on the type of bubble bather you are. For the tea lovers, I stick with a small jar of a soothing herbal tea, like my Soothing Mint Tea or Winter Wellness Blend. For the wine lover, you can include a half-bottle of wine and a pretty plastic wine glass in your basket (any bubble bath pro knows that a sturdy shatterproof glass is your safest bet when you want to indulge in the tub).

3. The Bath: I love whipping up a mixture of my Weekend Head Start Bath Mix and including a little vial of my favorite bubble bath so that the receiver has all the makings of a nourishing bath ready to go.

4. The Aftermath: These are the treats that your bath lover near then end of their soak, like nice soaps, scrubs, and body butters. Stick to a scent theme on this one--you can check out my Holiday TLC Gift Baskets for ideas!

At the end of a long day, your favorite bubble bath pal (or buddy--who says bubble baths are meant to be taken solo?) will thank you for this thoughtful basket of treats!

Enchantment Learning & Living is an inspirational blog celebrating life’s simple pleasures, everyday mysticism, and delectable recipes that are guaranteed to stir the kitchen witch in you. If you enjoyed what you just read and believe that true magic is in the everyday, subscribe to my newsletter below for regular doses of enchantment. Want even more inspiration? Follow me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter. Here’s to a magical life!

Holiday TLC Gift Baskets

December 6, 2014

There is no gift more thoughtful than a basket full of treats, especially if those treats are homemade and about pampering the receiver. Too often we overlook self-care during this busy season--which goes double for the festivity planners and organizers. Why not treat the holiday elves responsible for all the holiday decorating and planning to a basket full of just-for-them goodies?

The best way to make a gift basket is to stick to a theme, like the Winter Solstice, Sugar & Spice, and Peppermint Hot Chocolate TLC Gift Baskets featured here. I combine a nice range of treats, from scrubs to body butters, that the receiver can enjoy long after all the holly and mistletoe have been taken down. If you really want to do up the baskets, you can throw in other little treats like a loofah, bubble bath, or holiday tea.

1. My Winter Solstice TLC Gift Basket includes Winter Solstice Body Butter, Pine & Charcoal Soap, and the ingredients to my Honey Eucalyptus Foot Soak packed into a mason jar. Adorn your basket with sprigs of pine and a few pine cones and you've got the perfect gift for the nature lover in your life.

2. This Sugar & Spice TLC Gift Basket includes an array of cinnamony treats like my Cinnamon Sugar Body Scrub, Orange Spice Body Butter and Soap, and a Pumpkin Pie Body Scrub. Top with a festive colored bow and a bundle of cinnamon sticks and you've got the ideal gift for your favorite sweetie.

3. Finally, my Peppermint Hot Chocolate TLC Gift Basket is for those chocolate (and mint!) lovers in your life. You get to pamper them with Candy Cane Body Butter, and Peppermint Hot Chocolate Soap and Body Scrub. Tie it all together with a white and red striped ribbon and throw in a few candy canes (or peppermint chocolates) and you've been put on your chocolate lover's nice list.

On Rest & Rejuvenation

December 5, 2014

As I wind up my semester and begin holiday festivities, I find myself trying to remember to do less, not more. It can be easy after an action-packed semester to want to take that jumpy energy into my downtime--no doubt this almost frantic energy is inflamed by the glitz of the season, holiday party obligations, last minute shopping...you could write a whole list of things you "have to do." So this year, keeping all this in mind, I decided to actively work on making myself do less.

When I stop and pause, I find that the times I relax the most is when I am moving slowly, enjoying family and home. In fact, our mantra over the Thanksgiving break became "no rushing, no schedules." I'm carrying this mantra into the end of the semester and winter holidays in an effort to enjoy the little things: a hot mug of holiday spiced tea, twinkling Christmas lights, afternoons lost in a good book, tia-niece time...now that sounds like a to-do list that I can handle!

As I get ready to meet up with family for breakfast on this blustery morning and enjoy the crisp winter air on my morning walk, I leave you with words of wisdom from last year's post on the holiday season and the necessity of hibernation and rejuvenation.

After all, the end of the year is really about self-care, enjoyment, and reflection.

Pine & Charcoal Soap

December 4, 2014

I know this may look like a lump of coal, but it's really a lump of wintery goodness for those angelic souls on your 'nice' list.

This soap gets its coal color from activated charcoal, one of those all-around wonder ingredients like baking soda. I use it for everything from making my own homemade mascara or adding it to cocktails for a gothic touch! Many people take it internally to help with bloating or apply it to bug bites to reduce swelling and suck out poison. See what I mean? Wonder product.

This activated charcoal is also a massive detoxifier and purifier which makes it great for your skin especially when cold weather and other elements wear it down. The crisp pine scent is reminiscent of a wintery wonderland and acts as an antibacterial and anti-inflammatory agent. I get my shea butter soap base from amazon.com, but you can also find it in some health food stores--same goes for the activated charcoal. This soap makes a great gift for that special someone--your mountain man or earth woman--who likes a good homemade self-care product without super sweet scents.

Ingredients:

1 lb shea butter soap base

60 drops pine essential oil

1 heaping tablespoon activated charcoal powder, sifted

Chop shea butter soap base into half inch chunks and place in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat for one minute and stir. Then continue to melt base in the microwave in 20-second increments, stirring between each heating until liquefied, about 5 minutes. Once the soap is melted stir in essential oil and sifted powder. Pour into muffin tins and allow to set, about an hour. (You can speed this up by placing them in the fridge for about 20 minutes). Remove soap from molds by gently inserting a butter knife around the edges of the muffin tin until the soap pops out. Wrap individually in plastic wrap or tuck multiples in an airtight container. Store in a cool, dry place indefinitely. Makes about 4 soaps. Enjoy!

Orange Spice Soap

December 3, 2014

I have a major citrus lover in my family: my younger sister. She simply cannot get enough of the tangy scent of oranges, lemons, tangerines...you name it. Her cocktails of choice? A limey margarita or an orangey Italian spritz of course! This comes as no surprise since she makes her living in Italy turning these citrus peels into fruit leather for her art and jewelry creations!

Keeping all this in mind, I simply cannot talk about making holiday gifts without whipping up some orange spice soap for the citrus lovers in our lives. This soap is full of cinnamon and clove essential oils that are antibacterial and anti-inflammatory. The shea butter in the soap adds that extra moisturizing power our skin often needs during the harsh winter months.

Ingredients:

1 lb shea butter soap base

30 drops orange essential oil

30 drops cinnamon essential oil

10 drops clove oil

1 heaping tablespoon cinnamon powder, sifted

Chop shea butter soap base into half inch chunks and place in the microwave safe bowl. Heat for one minute and stir. Then continue to melt base in the microwave in 20-second increments, stirring between each heating until liquefied, about 5 minutes. Once the soap is melted stir in essential oils and sifted powder. Pour into muffin tins and allow to set, about an hour. (You can speed this up by placing them in the fridge for about 20 minutes.) Remove soap from molds by gently inserting a butter knife around the edges of the muffin tin. until the soap pops out. Wrap individually in plastic wrap or tuck multiples in an airtight container. Store in a cool dry place indefinitely. Makes about 4 soaps. Enjoy!

Peppermint Hot Chocolate Soap

December 2, 2014

Peppermint. Hot. Chocolate.

Really, there's nothing more to say. (Except maybe "All. Over." but that might be taking things to an uncomfortable level.) Every holiday season I have to indulge in at least one peppermint hot chocolate latte because nothing says seasonal cheer like a hot cup of this minty goodness!

Last year, I adapted this heaven-in-a-cup into a perfect body scrub and this year got to thinking that this combo would make a great soap--and a delicious prelude to slathering your body in my candy cane body butter. Who needs the actual hot chocolate when you can pamper yourself with these beauty treats?

Ingredients:

1 lb shea butter soap base

30 drops peppermint essential oil

30 drops spearmint essential oil

1 heaping tablespoon cocoa powder, sifted

Chop shea butter soap base into half -inch chunks and place in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat for one minute and stir. Then continue to melt base in the microwave in 20-second increments, stirring between each heating until liquefied, about 5 minutes. Once soap is melted stir in essential oils and sifted cocoa powder. Pour into muffin tins and allow to set, about an hour. (You can speed this up by placing them in the fridge for about 20 minutes.) Remove soap from molds by gently inserting a butter knife around the edges of the muffin tin until the soap pops out. Wrap individually in plastic wrap or tuck multiples in an airtight container. Store in a cool, dry place indefinitely. Makes about 4 soaps. Enjoy!

Gifts from the Kitchen, Gifts from the Heart

November 28, 2014

As we all know, today is Black Friday--that scary day in which the whole world runs mad trying to to be the first one into whatever shopping mall to purchase whatever super-sale items. Just the thought of the crush of people and the insanity of trying to buy as much as possible in one day is enough for me to want to retreat into my hobbit hole and not come out until this day is over--which is exactly what my family ends up doing!

In response to this buying frenzy that often seems to take the pleasure out of gift giving, I'm dedicating this coming month to blog on homemade gifts--simple gestures of love conjured in the kitchen.

Too often this time of year we can get caught in this whirlwind energy of spending, buying, doing more until the essence of this season--rest, introspection, and celebrations with loved ones--gets overshadowed by the glitz and noise of the outside world. In reality, it feels wondrous to escape the busyness of the city and immerse yourself in the peace and quiet of your own home.

There is no better way to spend a cozy winter morning that in the kitchen whipping up beauty treats and gourmet kitchen staples for your loved ones to enjoy all year round. So let's unplug from that tinsel town vision of the holidays and reground ourselves in what matters most: family and the gentle turning inward that the season originally inspired.

Happy Thanksgiving!

November 27, 2014

Wishing you and yours a wonderful day of thanks!

Thoughts on Thankfulness

November 26, 2014

As I get ready to meet my mom, sister, and baby niece for a day of cooking for the big feast tomorrow, I am once again struck by the abundance of my life: family, love, joyfulness all manifesting itself in the time and energy we put into a wonderful meal shared with those we love.

I have come to see these celebrations as an essential part of life; we must take the time to pause and celebrate this wonderful abundance, to honor it and invite more of it into our lives. This joyous celebration also recognizes the hard work we put into cultivating fullness and intimacy in our lives.

So, as I head out for a day in the kitchen with my own loved ones, I leave you to mull over the importance thankfulness and gratitude.

Cranberry Sauce

November 16, 2014

When I was growing up, cranberry sauce was one my favorite things to help make for Thanksgiving. I loved adding extra ginger and citrus--both the zest and the juice--and letting the tangy scent of cranberries and sugar perfume the kitchen as we cooked for the big feast.

Even now, I often whip up a batch of this cranberry sauce to have on hand during the winter months; it is great on pancakes or as a thick jam on toast and pairs well with cheeses like sharp cheddar or manchego.

I don't like a lot of sugar in my cranberry sauce, so I usually start with 1/4 cup of sugar and taste test my way to the perfect balance between tart and sweet which can vary from batch to batch depending on how sweet the citrus is. I use three kinds of ginger (candied, fresh, and powdered)--a trick I learned from my mom--to lend depth to the heat of this root. I use the zest of the lemon and orange so it is important to use only organic fruits. If you want a thicker sauce, let it simmer on the stove longer.

Ingredients:

12 oz (one bag) of organic cranberries

1 cup water

1/4 to 1/2 cup sugar

1 organic lemon, juiced and zested

1 organic orange or grapefruit

1 tbsp candied ginger, minced

1-inch fresh ginger, grated

Pinch of cinnamon

Pinch of clove

Place cranberries and water in a saucepan and let simmer on medium heat until the berries begin to soften about 10-15 minutes. Then add sugar, three gingers, cinnamon, and clove. Stir until sugar has dissolved and reduce heat to medium-low heat. Add zest of citrus and juice of lemon. Cut the pith from the zested orange or grapefruit and slice the citrus segments. Squeeze any remaining citrus juice into the sauce along with the segments. Stir and let sauce simmer on low for 5-15 minutes. Cool completely before storing in fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for several months (I store the sauce using ice cube trays so I can defrost the exact amount I was for a particular dish). Makes about 2 cups. Enjoy!

Old Fashioned Devil Cocktail

November 1, 2014

This is option three in my round of Halloween-inspired cocktails, sans sugary neon additives that have no business in a real cocktail. I'm a sucker for a good old fashioned; my recipe adds a playful twist to this drink by adding activated charcoal to give it a devilishly smoky flair. Activated charcoal is a common natural health aid used to improve skin tone, whiten teeth, detox the body, and even reduce bloating. It has even become a favorite new ingredient in for cocktail makers.

I've also omitted the traditional sugar cube that goes in this drink because I feel this drink is already sweeter than sin without it, thanks to the rich Silver Coyote Whiskey I use. The trick to making a good old-fashioned is to pay attention to the details, which make sense, because, as they say, that's where the devil always finds himself.

Ingredients:

4 dashes angostura bitters

2 oz silver coyote whiskey

1 splash club soda

small pinch of activated charcoal (no more than half of 1/8 teaspoon)

1 slice of organic orange skin, minus the pith

1 orange slice (for garnish)

1 black cherry (for garnish)

ice

In a shaker, muddle orange skin, bitters and activated charcoal together until the oils have released. Add ice and whiskey and shake until mixed. Pour into a glass and top with a splash of club soda. Garnish with orange slice and black cherry. Serves one--so double the recipe and share with your favorite devil.

I Put A Spell On You Cocktail

October 26, 2014

This cocktail is sister to my Green Fairy, another concoction whipped up to celebrate Halloween without the sugary additives and fake colorants used in most drink mixers. This drink has a lovely pale green color, much like its absinthe-infused sister. This title comes from the idea that all cocktails or liquors act as proverbial potions in one way or another: inspiring courage, brewing up love or acting as unconventional oracles of a sort. Thus, this drink was born.

I used apples this drink because they are long considered an integral part of Samhain, Halloween's pagan ancestor. Apples symbolize immortality and so, on the night where spirits can walk the earth, are a perfect offering to the powers that be. I also added ginger, a heating root, purported to ensure success when spell working; lime is added for its healing properties.

So what is this spell then? Let's think of it as a longevity-inducing-healing-good-vibe-making potion spiced up with whatever (benevolent) intentions you add as you blend the ingredients. At the very least you'll have a refreshing drink to enjoy with friends!

Ingredients:

1/2 green apple, juiced*

1/2 oz ginger, juiced*

1/2 lime, juiced

2 oz gin or vodka

ice

Muddle ginger and lime juice in a shaker, then add apple juice, vodka or gin, and ice. Shake thoroughly. Pour into chilled martini glass. Enjoy!

* I juice the apple by grating it and then putting the grated pieces in a cheesecloth and squeezing out the juice, much like I do to remove excess moisture from my shredded zucchini for my zucchini fritters. You can purchase ginger juice at your gourmet grocery store or simply shredded about 1/2 inch fo ginger and strain it through the cheesecloth like you do the apple.

Green Fairy Cocktail

October 25, 2014

Halloween is a great excuse to whip up a fun seasonal cocktail. Unfortunately, most of those drinks are saturated with super sugary neon hued gunk in the form of cheap schnapps and other liquors that have less to do with a quality cocktail and more to do with getting the right Halloween-y looking drink drowning in artificial syrups. Horrifying!

And yet this dilemma presented me with a perfect challenge: making festive cocktails that are made from quality ingredients. Personally, my tastes in cocktails run towards the classics--martinis, gimlets, old fashioneds--simple drinks with a few superb ingredients. Now all I needed was appropriately spooky or mercurial twists on these standards. So, my challenge began.

The result? This absinthe-based cocktail, for starters. Absinthe, once banned in America for the purported insanity-causing properties of wormwood (one of its chief ingredients), struck me as the perfect base for a Halloween-inspired cocktail. An insanity causing liquor with a shady history? The sipper of choice among artists and writers ever in search of that elusive muse? The green fairy that is said to emerge when this high-proof liquor is diluted with water and turns a cloudy green color? Sounds to me like the perfect foundation for an inspiration inducing potion that mimics the seductive playfulness of the Green Fairy herself.

I used Mephisto Absinthe, rich with not only anise but herbs like sage and cinnamon. These other herbs round out the licorices flavor so that it is not overly cloying. The use of gin contributes to the herbaceous note of this cocktail, and the lime juice adds a pop brightness. What you end up with is a faintly green glass of goodness--and maybe a little creative inspiration for that next project of yours.

Ingredients:

1/4 oz absinthe

2 oz gin

3/4 oz fresh lime juice

2-3 dashes grapefruit bitters (optional)

ice

In a shaker, combine ingredients and shake vigorously. Let sit for half a minute, long enough for the ice to melt and dilute potency of the absinthe. Pour into your cocktail glass and enjoy! Serves one, so double the recipe and see if you and your friend have any other green fairy sightings!

On the Last Long Weekend of Summer

September 1, 2014

It is summer's final gift, a last tribute to a season of grilling and late-night reading and lazy mornings drinking coffee on your patio. Pure heavenly indulgence before you get swept up in the tide of the semester.

The week before was busy--perhaps too busy--as you flitted from one errand to the next while diving into the first week of school and the inevitable joys and chaos that come with it. You are grateful for this last long weekend, then, to slow down, to turn inward, and to find your grounding once again. In the slowly unfolding hours of these three days, you take the time to be deliberate about your actions and those of the days to come, weeding out unnecessary busyness, silencing mindless chatter.

For you are always at your strongest, your happiest, when you can embrace your solid daily routine that is built on your thirst for tranquillity and stability, of blissful quiet and gentle awareness. And you found it again this weekend, in the birds singing on your patio as they feast on the seeds you put to for them; in the long afternoons spent reading; in the evenings in the kitchen playing with a new recipe. You found it the rich moments of your everyday life, that inner joy that you will continue to nourish and take with you into the coming weeks. You found it in the momentary pause from your regular labor, in your deliberate choice to not do much of anything this last long weekend of summer.

On 4th of July Sparklers

July 4, 2014

The 4th of July will always be sparklers and cookouts, although it has been a long time since you have lit one of those little sticks and watched it light up the night with its crackling light.

Yet you find your mind returning to those sparklers. You loved them more than the big fireworks with their loud wheezing and banging, enough to scare your dogs and make you worry about their sparks catching on the tinder-dry trees--a hazard of celebrating the 4th in the desert. No, the sparklers were safer, yet more whimsical. They conjured stories of magic and secret wishes spelled out in the bright sizzle of their light. As the night grew across the horizon, the stars yet to make an appearance in that dark cloak, you created your own stars.

They were like fairy wands, meant for twirling like you loved to do, spinning round and round on the grass, blinded by their bright sparkle until you collapsed on the ground, you and the sparkler spent--until you lit the next one. These sparklers were you and your sisters dancing in the night, running around the backyard, and thinking up the nonsense you so loved to think up; you were the wild ladies, barefoot and wearing comfy dresses, oblivious to everything but the warm air and the glitter of the sparklers.

Now all you can think about is how much your future niece will love those little fairy wands and the secret wishes she will write in the sky with their magic. You don't light sparklers anymore. But perhaps you should.

5 Easy Tips for Greener Living

April 22, 2014

In honor of Earth Day, I'd like to offer a few easy tips I've developed over the years to become eco-friendlier. Typically when we think of going green, we conjure up images of having to buy really expensive organic goods (so not true!) or attempting to make drastic lifestyle changes all at once--an overwhelming task! In fact, there are many simple ways to be greener without dramatically changing your day to day routine. What matters is baby steps--simple changes make all the difference in the long run. As you get used to one change, you can throw in a new way to be eco-conscious.

1. Use what you have. Seriously, it sounds simple, but many people can be tempted to throw out perfectly good household items simply because they aren't green or organic. But where does the stuff that you throw out go? Landfills--and landfills equal frowny face.

2. Shop local. Less travel time for produce and other goods means less of a negative impact on the environment. This is also a great tip for supporting local business and get to know your community. Co-ops and farmers' markets are great places to start!

3. Make your own cleaning supplies. You don't have to shell out big bucks to green your home, even though most organic cleaning brands would have you think otherwise. Try whipping up a batch of this all-purpose cleaner for your basic cleaning needs. Also keep in mind that distilled vinegar and baking soda work wonders for cleaning and are both super cheap.

4. Recycle. It's worth the effort! Same goes for when you need to buy new things--opt for buying things at antique and secondhand stores. Not only are you buying one of a kind furniture and other goodies, but you are recycling in its most basic form.

5. Walk (or bike) where you can. The exercise is good for you and the environment. Now I can't really walk to work since it is on the other side of town. But when the weekend hits, I like to stick to my own neighborhood so I can walk everywhere--to the store, to the park, to a restaurant.

And always remember--if it's good for the earth, it's good for you!

On Birthdays

January 30, 2014

You are a kid again. The day is about cake and polka dots and fun.

Each part of your routine sparkles with the pure enjoyment of the day: the promise of celebrations, the excitement of opening a present carefully chosen for you by someone you love. Even the sun seems to hold you close.

It is a day begging to be dressed up in a fancy frock and ribbons in your hair; a day that calls for a lighter work load if not downright hooky. It is a day lived in the present even as it acts like a camera reel sliding over scenes from the past year--accomplishments, heartaches, adventures, and curve balls. But the reel stretches beyond the year, reminding you that today of all days is where you can feel not just your age but also 25 or 12 or 7. These years, these ages, these other yous all weaving together to make the you that is you right now.

The you that is seven still thinks of this day as the one where you get to eat a big piece of vanilla cake smothered in brightly colored frosting. The you that is now--the one that has almost grown out of the frosted cake eating--looks to the day as one in need of champagne or bubble baths or both. Both yous--the seven and the now--will forever agree that it is a day for a fancy dress, a cheeky A-line skirt that shouts girly fun and frivolity.

And all of the yous know that the cake, the dress, the champagne, the pure giddy enjoyment of being one year older, pale in comparison to spending a day with those you love, celebrating the you that is now with people who have known all the yous, sometimes better than you have. They are the hugs and love and proverbial warm fuzzy blanket that make the day worthwhile.

On the New Year

January 2, 2014

It is a clean slate. A promise of another way of being. Gone are the nicks and scrapes of the previous year--the soul healed and unblemished again after a long, restful break.

The holiday decorations have been taken down: a homey task that would seem anticlimactic after weeks of festivities, but in all actuality is a cathartic ritual of putting one year to rest while welcoming another.

The house feels quiet, clean, spacious after the last of the pine needles have been vacuumed up and any leftover ribbons and tissue paper are folded away for the next year. Sometimes you still find traces of the holiday like a stray festive card sitting on your bookshelf or a forgotten bauble resting on your writing table. Those too are soft reminders of the coming new year.

You tuck them away in storage and marvel at how fresh your home feels, how decadent it is to sit on the couch and knit and have nothing pressing to do. In a little bit you might walk to the refrigerator and rummage around for something to eat for lunch, but only if it isn't too much trouble.

For now, you sit and knit, trying to stretch out the freshness, the newness, the unblemished glory of another new year before some adventure or another lures you out of your home and the whole thing begins again.

New Year's Resolution: Daily Meditations on the Magic of Everyday Life

January 1, 2014

I am sitting at my writing desk looking at the tree outside my window and thinking about this past year. It occurs to me now in the gentle quiet of my apartment that I've spent quite a bit of 2013 talking to friends, family, and fellow teachers and yogis about finding that perfect work-life balance. We each of us went through various bumps in the year, both professionally and personally, and each bump made us reflect on how we can live more gently, with more grace.

How do we find the beauty and the majesty of life as we go about our daily routines? How do we remember to value these routines when we find ourselves grappling with the challenges life inevitably throws our way?

There is no easy answer to these questions of course. But I have found that the simple act of talking about them has made me more aware of the magic in my life: many good people to grapple these metaphysical questions with, a hot cup of home-blended tea to mull these thoughts over, and numerous other small pleasures that make life worth living.

In honor of these conversations and my own increasing need to make more space in my life for self-care and reflection, I've decided to dive into my next adventure: daily meditations on the magic of everyday living and learning.

I'm creating space to ponder the wonder of daily life--not the big giant adventures of world travel or the lofty topics education reform, but the simple small bites of hedonism (the favorite yoga pose or the evening bubble bath) that we gobble up every day like salted dark chocolate coated caramels.

In these little delights lie simple lessons of saner, gentler living. So if you are like me, searching for a daily reminder of life's wonders, join me at Enchantment Learning and Living to read and discuss my daily meditations on mindful living!

Peppermint Hot Chocolate Body Scrub

December 17, 2013

There is nothing more delicious than peppermint hot chocolate on a cold winter day. Oh, wait. Yeah, there s: my peppermint hot chocolate body scrub. It has all the feelings of sweet indulgence without the calories or sugar overload.

It also makes a great gift that is enjoyed by the recipient after the last holiday candy cane is gone and is super easy for you to make during the flurry of winter preparation.

So here is the recipe to make for your loved ones--and yourself:

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup olive oil

2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

5-10 drops peppermint essential oil

Add all ingredients in a bowl and mix until combined. To gift this, simply put the scrub in a mason jar and wrap the jar in a festive ribbon.