Feet Tea feature & GIVEAWAY!

On this week's Shop Small Saturday Showcase, I have such a fun shop for you today!  I first saw Feet Tea at one of last year's Patchwork shows, and I was immediately intrigued!  First of all, the entire area around their booth had the most tempting aroma, so as I approached Josie to say hello, I was already loving their "Feet Tea."  Then, I saw their adorable packaging (so will you in the pictures below) and the cute shop name.  Since all of the foot soak tea bags smell so delicious, they had to add a little tag that says "Don't Drink Me."  How funny!

I took home a sampler pack to try out four of their varieties – all amazing!  Now, one lucky reader will get the chance to take home a burlap sampler with eight Feet Tea foot soak tea bags.  Wow!  That's eight luscious, relaxing soaks to make you feel like you are at the spa... Aahhhhhh...

But first, let's hear from Josie and find out a few tidbits like her favorite product (which is made just for men) and see some pretty items from Feet Tea!

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Tell me a little bit about yourself!

My name is Josie and I am the creator and owner of Feet Tea. I make foot soak tea bags that contain Epsom and mineral salts, essential oils, and dried herbs or flowers. This is all contained in a tea bag that is perfect for softening dry feet in need of moisture and pampering.

Even at a young age, I had always preferred handmade goods over store-bought. I liked the fact that someone used the creative side of their brain to create something unique and original. I also loved visiting craft shows to get inspired and to chat with the makers about their creative process.


Where did the name of your store come from?

I did a lot of brainstorming as to what would be a fun and memorable name for my product, and also wanted to be really clear as to what Feet Tea was used for – soaking and steeping your feet, not for drinking. I also researched similar products on the market and the name Feet Tea was unique to the other foot soak products out there.


Why did you start making goods for Feet Tea?

I have always enjoyed drinking and mixing loose leaf tea and learning the benefits of using various herbs and dried botanicals. I have suffered from eczema since I was young which made my toes very itchy and I used soaking salts on a regular basis. I decided to add the salts and some of the herbs to one of the teabags made for loose leaf tea. Adding essential oils really brought out the aromatic qualities in the blend. The Feet Tea concept is about taking the spa experience home and also relieving your feet from soreness and muscle aches.

What is your favorite item?

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Favorite Projects to Make, Try & Wear + Do Tell Tuesday #75!

Welcome to Do Tell Tuesday!  Do Tell Tuesday is the time where WE get to see what YOU are up to! Share your projects and recipes, then take time to look around at your fellow creatives.  Not a blogger?  That's ok!  You can still take a look around and discover some new ideas and inspiration!

Each week a featured host will be bringing you a set of features.  Before we get to this week, let's meet the hosts!

Keep up with us at:

Mabey She Made It : Facebook // Pinterest // Instagram // Twitter // Google Plus
Vintage Zest : Facebook // Pinterest // Instagram // Twitter // Google Plus

Little Red Window : Facebook // Pinterest // Instagram // Twitter // Google Plus

Lil Mrs. Tori : Facebook // Pinterest // Instagram // Twitter // Google Plus

Now for the features courtesy of Tori!

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Making Good - DIY Repurposed Succulent Planter

This week, I am bringing you an unexpected crafty post on a Monday!  Why?  I was invited by Agatha Lee of Green Issues by Agy to join the Making Good Repair Blog Train.  Since May 1st, a bunch of talented bloggers have been sharing their repairs and fixes for items, because we believe that  we can use our creativity to find a solution to a problem instead of just throwing it away.  Definitely check it out!

For my project, I originally had something else in mind... and I'm wondering if I bent the rules a little, now that I'm sharing my post.  That's me, always a rebel, even if by accident!

The item that I decided to use is the lasagna dish that had a hairline crack in it, after I made my fantastic Vegetarian Lasagna with Spinach, Mushrooms & Soy Crumbles.  It just was not safe for the oven anymore, so I decided to repurpose it into something completely different!

Here's a view of that crack.  So sad.  :(

So now that I think about it, I completely broke the rules and did not repair my project.  However, I did prolong the life of it, in a second career!  Instead of the kitchen, it now hangs out in the garden!

When my mom plants succulents in her fabulous garden, she likes to nurture them from little tiny cuttings in separate small containers (check out the applesauce containers on the left), then group them together in larger planters, before releasing them into the garden!

Voila, I had a new item for her to use!

Now here's what I did to transform something broken into something good!

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Silicate Studio feature & GIVEAWAY!

On this week's Shop Small Saturday Showcase, I am happy to showcase the fantastic creations of Kevin Anderson from Silicate Studio!  At last year's Unique L.A., I was immediately drawn to the rustic and clean designs, and I absolutely loved the combination of wood and metal of the Turnbuckle shelves.  Then, I saw all of the different designs and knew I just had to feature the shop and share with all of you.  Just check out the fantastic headboard below, and you'll know what I mean!

Lastly, the giveaway today is extra special because we will not have just one winner... but three!  That's right, three of my lucky readers will have their choice of one of Silicate Studio's beautiful geometric mirrors.  There are a few pictures in the interview below, so keep an eye out for which one you'll pick if you are a lucky winner.  :)  Now, let's learn all about Silicate Studio from Kevin, shall we?

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Tell me a little bit about yourself!

I come from an interior design background and I also come from a cabinetmaking design/construction background. I decided to start my own business after realizing that I loved furniture and the creation of it more than designing white rooms.


Where did the name of your store come from?

It sounded like the beach to me, and I am a full-blooded beach boy. But it also sounded unique and related to mirrors and glass.


Why did you start making goods for Silicate Studio?

I have an insatiable need to create things with my hands. I can't control it.

What is your favorite item?

Don't have one, how can you say which child is your favorite?  If I had to pick it would be our turnbuckle shelves. They started as a uber-quick solution. I needed a nightstand to put into a photoshoot and I had turnbuckles, a few slabs of old wood and soem random pieces of harwdare. They just sort of fell together and I realized after gettign TONS of questions about them instead of the bed in the picture, that these had some cool potential.



What is your most popular item?

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Korean Bean Sprouts Salad (Sukju Namul Muchim)

This week, I am bringing you another healthy side dish, perfect for summer time!  I don't know about you, but when I eat Korean BBQ, I am all about the side dishes.  I already shared this pickled radish recipe, and this one is another favorite!

I searched everywhere for a good bean sprout (AKA mung bean sprout) salad recipe that did not use too many specialty ingredients, which would require a trip to the grocery store.  Initially, I wanted to make a Japanese bean sprout salad to accompany my sushi, but each one had an unusual ingredient.  Instead, I ended up with Sukju Namul Muchim (숙주나물 무침), which is pretty similar and uses only the most basic ingredients.

As I said before, I didn't need an extra trip to the grocery store because I already bought the bean sprouts on sale earlier that week.  It is possible to find them in a regular grocery store, but they will most likely be a little pricy.

My suggestion is to either grab them when they go on sale, or visit your local Korean/Asian market.  They sell huge bags there for an insanely cheap price.  Believe me, once you try the recipe, you will want more than a few sprouts for your second go around.

Now, let's get cooking!

Korean Bean Sprouts Salad (Sukju Namul Muchim)
Adapted from My Korean Kitchen

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What My Future Dream Home Looks Like – and How I’ll Get There

As you may remember, about a year ago I made an announcement that there was a new home in the works... but due to some unforeseen circumstances, my living situation is still the same.  It's certainly disappointing that I don't have more home DIYs to share, but it ended up being the right move overall.  So while I tackle the realities of the home buying process and how I'll win next time, I thought it would be fun to share a few pictures of my "dream home" as well!


Speaking of the home buying process, it is certainly not simple (especially for first-time home buyers), but the Capital One Home Loans Online Neighborhood site breaks it down with easy-to-understand articles and helpful videos.  It's a completely free online resource for potential home buyers to learn all about home buying.  All the stages of the home buying process are covered, such as deciding if it's the right time to buy, how much you can afford, and the documents you need for a mortgage once it's time to buy.  Take a peek!

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Question:  How much can I afford?

One rule of thumb is to look at houses that are 2.5 times your annual salary.  For example, to afford that $2.5 million dollar beachfront dream home, I better be making a million dollars a year.  Hm...

Ideally, your monthly housing payment should be less than 28 percent of your gross household monthly income.  For example, if you take home $5,000 a month, your monthly housing payment should be less than $1,400.  For help with your budget, use an online mortgage calculator!

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Question:  How much should I budget for a down payment?

The traditional estimate is 20% of the purchase price of the house.  A larger down payment will lower your monthly payments, which is always preferred!

Bonus Tip:  In the model home I toured below, the kitchen below had tons of upgrades, which were all gorgeous.  However, that meant the purchase price increased dramatically and that would increase the down payment and monthly mortgage payments.  Think carefully about upgrades that you have to make vs. want to make, if you go the new home route.

Question:  What information do lenders want?

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