HOMEMADE FROM THE HEART

By Alisa Murray

Gift giving is best when a gift is made with someone special in mind and by your own hands. I love making special gifts for friends, and hand scrubs are one of my favorites.

I’m using hand scrubs so much these days due to my latest hobby: gardening. The one thing they don’t tell you when you start gardening is how dirty you’ll get. I am not kidding when I say no amount of soaking can get off the soil that gets packed around your nails and into your heels. It’s a never-ending task to stay neat and tidy!

Here’s my favorite scrub for fall. Enjoy!

Lemony and Lavender Gardener’s Scrub

Ingredients: 1 Cup of Sugar 2 Tablespoons of Olive Oil Zest of 2 Lemons 2 Tablespoons of Lemon Juice 20 Drops of Lavender Essential Oil 2 Tablespoons of Lavender Buds

Mix all ingredients together and place in a container by the kitchen sink and beside the tub. Before your bathe, scrub into your heels and hands. Use throughout the day and each night.

The Agave at Gruene Rapids Luxury Condos Break Ground

The Agave at Gruene Rapids, a 15-unit luxury condominium complex in the Gruene Historic District, broke ground on May 14th. Located just west of the Gruene Road bridge, the condominiums are the first waterfront condo development in New Braunfels in more than 10 years. All units are located at 1228 Ervendberg Avenue, a 2.3-acre riverfront lot that is just two lots from Gruene Road.

The development was started by Michael Fredrickson and Brad Beago, the principals at Agave Investment Partners. Fredrickson and Beago have previously developed two vacation rental properties on the Guadalupe River, as well as two apartment complexes in the Eagle Ford Shale, south of New Braunfels in Karnes County.

“We are excited to start construction of this exceptional showcase project,” said Fredrickson, a local New Braunfels resident. “These condos are ideal for those seeking a second home or anyone looking to escape the city life and enjoy all the Texas Hill Country has to offer.”

The condominiums will be built by Frontera Construction out of Del Rio, Texas and designed by Open Studio Architecture in San Antonio. The Agave at Gruene Rapids complex will feature five standard units on each of the first two floors and five two-level penthouse models on the third floor. Each unit will feature high-end finishes, including premium cabinetry, stainless steel appliances, wood and tile floors and granite countertops.

The condominiums range from $485,000 to $825,000. They will be listed and sold by Jill Christian of Kuper Sotheby’s International Realty. For more information, call Christian at 210-393-4017.

Breaking ground at the beautiful 2.3-acre waterfront setting are Greg Shue of Open Studio Architecture, Marco Campos and Len Slaughter with Frontera Construction, Brad Beago and Michael Fredrickson of Agave Investment Partners, Jill Christian of Kuper Sotheby’s International Realty and Ira West and Mark Brown with Frontera Construction.