I’m a huge fan of most sweet things and I love holiday baking. I like to give baked goods for gifts, but it can be a challenge to not only store and deliver the items without them going bad, but it’s also difficult to make sure it’s different every year.

In the past when I wanted to give a friend a few cookies it ended up looking more thoughtless than tasteful on a paper plate or tossed into whatever random plastic container I could find. But this year I will be giving holiday cookies in jars that can be reused. This year seems to be the year of the canning jar for myself and others, but they sure are versatile and stylish.

It’s that time of year. Malls are packed, the television is constantly trying to convince me I need something, and shopping bags and coffee cups are dressed in red and white. It seems like every year the “official” Christmas season starts earlier and earlier.

But with Thanksgiving a week away and Christmas barreling down the corner, I am starting to feel the holiday pressure. I have holiday baking on my mind (mostly because I want to eat the cookies) and gift ideas randomly written on my homework.

I have started my hunt for gift ideas of things I can make, and so far I am overwhelmed and unsure. Every year I either make gifts or give things that people really need and will use regularly (as stated by them, not just my imagination). But this year I am more or less at a loss.

What are you making people this year? How are you feeling this holiday season?

I have a confession to make, one that I am honestly embarrassed to admit: my roommates and I went eight weeks without vacuuming. Trust me, it was as disgusting as it sounds. But this weekend one of my roommates and I battled the grime and took our apartment back from the brink of utter filth.

One of the most challenging aspects of living with roommates is negotiating who is responsible for cleaning what. This year my roommates and I would bring up cleaning, but no decision was ever made about responsibilities. After cleaning up nearly everything last year, I refused to do so again this year (thus the eight weeks).

But working together this weekend the two of us had our apartment absolutely spotless in an hour and all we used was castile soap, a touch of baking soda in the tub, and three microfiber cloths. For a step by step guide to effective, cheap, and easy cleaning check out my previous post.

Dorm Cleaning 101

1. Make an agreement with your roommates. Even if they are willing to live in a dirtier place than you or it’s uncomfortable to bring it up, you will both be happier if you lay out expectations and reach an agreement before you can’t see each other through the dust and trash.

2. Set up a weekly cleaning schedule or routine. You don’t have to have one massive cleaning montage all at once. Instead plan ahead so you only spend a few minutes each day to keep everything in good shape.

3. Make cleaning fun. We blasted the music and danced the dirt away.

4. Have a plan of attack. No good general (or housecleaner) could ever win the battle if there wasn’t proper planning and consideration. Don’t mop the floors and then clean your counters or you will ruin all of the hard work you just did (same goes for not cleaning the toilet and then your sink). Consider a top down, least to most disgusting, approach.

5. No excuses. Everyone is busy, no one has time. Get over it and get your hands dirty. Ten to 15 minutes can do amazing things to clear your head and make you more productive when you are finished.

We all know the old adage that beauty is from the inside, but author of “Beauty Pure and Simple: the Ayurvedic approach to beautiful skin,” Kristen Ma, proves just how true this may be. Ma, an Ayurvedic practitioner and esthetician, breaks down complex Ayurvedic concepts and skin conditions into easily understandable chapters. Her solutions to problems like acne, dry skin, sensitive skin, and many other skin ailments are simple to understand and easy to follow.

Ma incorporates the whole body’s health in the belief that the skin reflects trouble brewing underneath. She also explains why conventional skin products and medication aggravate and can create many skin problems. The book details the best skincare routines for every problem or skin type without pushing products or turning into a TV “infomercial”.

This book is a must for anyone who struggles with acne, dry skin, sensitive skin, rosacea, eczema, aging, or who just want to make their skin as healthy and beautiful as possible. Ma guides readers to look internally and find what may be the true cause of their ailment and how to best reach whole body health and a healthy, radiant complexion.

Homemade Body Butter Ingredients:

This part always makes me hungry. The coconut oil smells great and it looks just like a piece of a yummy dessert.

Place your butter into an air tight container and store in a cool place away from sunlight. (If the oil gets too hot it will melt and harden as it cools, losing its whipped texture and making it much harder to use.)

Coconuts are the newest health food craze and miracle problem solver. They are everywhere from the personal care aisle to cooking. As much as I hate to admit that I am going along with what is most likely a trend, I’m in love with coconut water for a post workout pick me up and coconut oil for just about everything.

When I found this list of 52 uses for coconut oil I couldn’t stop myself from sharing some of my favorites.

1. Hair and scalp treatment: on weeks when I have multiple workouts  or I have to straighten it, my hair gets incredibly rough and my scalp itches like crazy! I heat up a tablespoon of the oil and rub it on my scalp as if it was shampoo and through my hair. Let it sit for at least 20 minutes before you wash as normal. My hair stays soft for days and my scalp is significantly less oily than normal and not itchy.

2. Hair styling: just a little bit tames fly aways and makes my hair look shiny and smooth

3. Incredible for cooking and baking

4. Shaving cream: the warm oil makes shaving less painful and my legs are wonderfully moisturized afterwards.

5. As a “lotion”

6. Make doors stop squeaking

7. Dry skin moisture balm

To see the rest, check out Delicious Obsessions

Not only was it printed on easily recyclable paper, but by making it to particular dimensions he eliminated all of the extra waste that comes with store bought wrapping paper.