Julie Gabriel, author of The Green Beauty Guide takes a holistic approach to winter skin care. Here, the Toronto-born nutritionist and organic skincare creator shares a favourite homemade recipe for year-round moisture-rich skin.

Herbal Coconut Body Butter
This butter can be used on face, hair and body skin. You can load up the coconut butter with whatever herbal teas and infusions you happen to have in your kitchen.

Ingredients
• 2 cups coconut oil
• 2-3 twigs fresh rosemary or a tablespoon dried leaves
• 2-3 stems fresh mint or 2-3 peppermint tea bags (preferably organic)
• 2-3 rosehip tea bags
• 2-3 nettle tea bags
• 1 carrot, peeled and finely sliced

Method
Melt coconut oil on very low heat in a metal saucepan. Add the rest of ingredients and allow simmering on very, very low heat for 30 minutes. Stir occasionally to allow ingredients to infuse evenly. Strain and pour the coconut butter into a pot and close tightly. Cool down and use as necessary.

Application
Massage as necessary into hair, skin, even nails.

Storage
Store in a refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

—Athena Tsavliris

If Maria von Trapp can make clothes out of curtains, we can certainly think up imaginative ways to wrap a gift. Herewith, a few of our crafty favourites.

Material Girl
Fabric is always a lovely alternative to paper. Those old Toile de Jouy cushion covers would work beautifully, or how about cutting out the wine stain from an out-of-use table cloth and using that? If the collars and cuffs are looking tatty on your chap’s shirts, you could up-cycle them too. 

Gift Wrap
If you like the idea of the wrapping being a gift in itself, why not opt for a Marimekko tea towel or chic vintage silk scarf?

Read All About It
Newspaper is a good one too. I like Corriere dello Sport and the Financial Times because they’re pink!

Kitchen Aid
Your kitchen drawers are likely filled with possibilities. Parchment paper stenciled with glittery stars is so pretty and festive.

Gift tags are so easy to make, and remember, most things look better with a bow on top. —Athena Tsavliris

Forget fancy baubles and try-hard ­winter sunglasses, right now scarves are the can’t live without accessory. Turban, kerchief or security blanket, it doesn’t matter how you wear one, just do it with aplomb.

This four-minute video is genius, showcasing 25 different scarf-tying techniques. I’ve been busy perfected the ‘Mira’ and the ‘DIY Infinity’ on my Juma scarf but I’m always a fan of the simple ‘European Loop’.

What about you, do you loop, knot or tie? —Athena Tsavliris

www.youtube.com

Many moons ago I went to the Royal Academy’s summer exhibition, and ever since I’ve wanted a picture wall of my own. You see them a lot lately. But I love the way the RA’s is hung — pictures stacked one on top of another in a riot of colour. Once I got started, mine took on a life of its own and practically hung itself. Here are some tips:

Set out with a plan, (you may want to lay the whole thing out on the kitchen floor) but don’t be too disciplined. The best picture walls are the ones that break rules and look as though they were hung over time. Think playful and organic.

Try to mix it up.

Hang a ceramic plate or an old record alongside a favourite vintage silk scarf, photograph or postcard. You may have a valuable print that works perfectly next to an old photobooth pic.

Some people prefer a uniform look, (all black frames, let’s say) but I personally like to combine materials, ceramic frames next to brass ones next to a Reeba, for instance.

I chose not too be too symmetrical, but it’s still orderly. If you aim to be too precise, your job will become very challenging.

This is definitely a two-man job, with one person hanging (someone with a very good eye) and the other supervising the display.

—Athena Tsavliris

We all complain that we don’t have enough time to do crafts or make children’s clothing, but Halloween is a great time to try making a costume. They only wear it for a few hours, so our sewing skills won’t really be put to the test… Here are three of our faves:

An owl costume for our little girl
This owl costume is made from an old t-shirt and scraps of fabric. We suggest you keep her warm by pairing it with black tights and boots, and have her wear the mask on her forehead if you are concerned about visibility. Try old towels for the feathers, to give them a bit more texture. Find the instructions on Alpha Mom.

Dress our little boy as Clark Kent
This adorable outfit requires shopping skills over sewing skills, just get your little one a Superman t-shirt, a white shirt and some pants. Layer long johns and a turtleneck underneath the outfit and voila! Your little superhero is ready to go. For directions skip to slide two on Quick & Simple.

Turn our little baby into a goldfish
This costume works best for wee ones who aren’t too mobile, as the tail is enclosed. You’ll need an orange onesie to wear underneath, and perhaps a glass bowl for an adorable photo op. Warning, this one actually requires a few sewing skills. Goldfish outfit from Martha Stewart.
—Alexandra Suhner Isenberg

Safety tip from the editor: Use reflective tape on the back and sleeves of the costume, if you are letting your kids out trick or treating by themselves. And make sure they carry flashlights.

Want to try your hand at a DIY pizza-pie? Cheat a little and buy the dough. Here’s our roundup of the city’s top crusts:

Loblaws
The best crust in town is the Italian Home Bakers brand at Loblaws. The dough is neither too moist nor to dry and can be easily kneaded to your desired thickness.

Highland Farms
This one can be tricky to work and gets a bit sticky but with patience you can create the best pizza this side of Naples.

Sobeys
Not as much “chew” and taste, but the crust bubbles nicely and it’s easy to roll out.

Whole Foods
The in-store pizza is pretty delicious, but unless your oven cranks to over 500 degrees we wouldn’t bother with this one. In our oven it stays a little too moist and never really seems fully cooked.

Metro
This is the in-a-pinch dough. It’s not as good as the rest, but it’ll satisfy your pizza cravings just fine.

—Athena Tsavliris

The ukulele is a great kids’ instrument: it is small, easy to play and it never gets too loud (reason why recorders aren’t allowed in this home!).

That’s why we loved this make your own ukulele kit (US $40) from Uncommon Goods. It comes equipped with a wood body, neck, and strings which are easily assembled, and then you can customize it with different paints, stains or decorations.

And, when you've heard Old MacDonald Has A Farm for the one thousandth time, you know how they put it together, so you can take it apart.
—Alexandra Suhner Isenberg

Available from Uncommon Goods. Make sure to check out the Canadian shipping instructions here.

We love a good DIY project.

Especially when the recipient is so gosh-darned cute, we’d do anything for her. Happy Sew Lucky  kits come with everything we need to sew our own baby gifts. Our favourite? The dinnertime book. Printed on 100% organic cotton, it requires sewing only in straight lines (bonus!) and stars all the cute and cuddly characters in the Happy Sew Lucky family.

Just B.Y.O.S. (bring your own sewing machine). —Kelsey Dundon

http://happysewlucky.com

If you're yearning to reno your living area, take a cue from the charmers in Parkdale.

The "hello! neighbour" feature over at gorgeous interiors/lifestyle blog, The Marion House Book, is a wonderful insight into the homes and people of Parkdale.

There’s a lot to love about the Rachel Riordan and Paul Riss’ colourful Victorian, like the bold mix of pink paint colours on the trim and ceiling in the living room. Take inspiration from the eclectic smorgasbord of old and new at Liz Ikiriko and Clay Stang’s home.

Whether it's reupholstering a forlorn love seat or buffing the scratches out of the hardwood floor, each little DIY task brings us one step closer to have our own feature in "hello! neighbour."

www.themarionhousebook.com

There’s no denying the tug of a great antique chair by the side of the road, but without crafty skills we just drive on by.

We’ll be pulling over now that bold design expert, upholstery queen and Steven & Chris regular Andrea Ford has launched RE:Style Studio.

Geared to gals, her stylish DIY space offers workshops like BYOP (bring your own project), re-upholstery ($100/day), creating tufted headboards ($250 plus fabric), and building ottomans from scratch ($300). She also offers guided vintage-buying trips ($150 with lunch) and the studio is equipped with a gourmet kitchen for DIY parties.

Let the dumpster diving begin.

RE:Style Studio, 344 Westmoreland Avenue #104A, Toronto, 647-342-0091, www.restylestudiotoronto.com