What You Up To Wednesday

The Home Spa Treatment

The long, hot summer is behind us, leaving the long, hard, cold, winter before us. To help make it through, try some of these spa-like recipes in the privacy of your home!!You could even invite friends over and make an entire home spa day!

SALON-TYPE HOT WAX HERBAL TREATMENT

1 cup beeswax (either grated or block)

10 Tbs. sweet almond oil

8 Tbs. virgin olive oil

5 drops lavender essential oil

3 drops chamomile essential oil

*For stiff, sore hands/feet, instead of the lavender and chamomile, add

5 drops wintergreen, 3 drops peppermint, and 2 drops of camphor essential oils

In order to keep a steady, even heat, this formula is best done in a crockpot. The wax should be cool enough to use when it forms a crust over the top. Use extreme caution when dipping your hand or foot into the wax. Hot wax will burn! If the crock pot is not large enough for you to fit your hand/foot into, pour the wax treatment into a pan that is deep enough and wide enough for them to fit and use it immediately.

Melt the beeswax in the crock pot on low heat (using medium or high heat can cause a fire!) Once melted, add all of the oils and stir well. Make sure that the wax is not too hot to use by inserting a candy thermometer to test it. 91 to 98 degrees works well. Dip one had/foot in the mixture at a time, then sit back and relax as it dries. Allow the wax to set up, 7-10 minutes is the average time, then peel of the wax. Save the peeled off wax, as you can remelt and reuse it several times. The formula should remain good for about a year, but if it gets too dry or looses its aroma, simply add a little more oil. Store the wax in a container out of direct sunlight.

SPA-TYPE AROMATHERAPY FACIAL STEAM

Steaming is a simple concept that produces a great effect on your skin and your mood. Simply put some water in a pan, bring it to a boil, drop in the proper essential oils and turn down the heat to low. Drape a towel over your head to direct the steam to your face and bend over the steam. There will be enough steam for your face for about 2-3 minutes. Once done, pat the skin dry and moisturize.

Steaming allows you to get the benefit of the essential oils on your skin and in your lungs, while the heat opens the pores and sweats the impurities out of them. Wash your face and neck prior to steaming so that you will work the true grime from the skin, not surface dirt.

For relaxation, peace of mind, cleansing and toning of skin,

use 2 drops each of the following essential oils. Bergamot, Clary Sage, Geranium and Lavender.

Don't forget about you hair when doing your in home spa day! Here is a spa-quality hot oil treatment that is wonderful for dry hair (do NOT use if you have oily hair), and a Herbal Conditioning Pack that is good for all hair types (when used once a month).

SPA-TYPE HERBAL HOT OIL TREATMENT

1/4 cup virgin olive oil

1 vitamin E capsule 400U or more (pierce and squeeze the contents into the mix)

1 Tbs. coconut oil

1 Tbs jojoba oil

3 drops lavender essential oil

1 drop rosemary essential oil (may substitute cedarwood EO if prefered)

Mix all together, then rub into clean, towel-dried hair. Leave on for 5 to 10 minutes, then wash out.

Stored in a bottle, this mixture will stay good for 2-3 months.

The following Herbal Conditioning Pack is full of deep conditioners and is great for all hair types when used once a month . It is alike a mud pack without the mud!

SALON-TYPE HERBAL PROTEIN CONDITIONING PACK

1 tbs. coconut oil

1/8 cup sweet almond oil

1/8 cup aloe vera gel

3 Tbs. gelatin mix (mix 1Tbs. unflavored gelatin in 2 1/2 Tbs. of cold water. Stir. Put in microwave to heat water to boiling, then stir again)

2 drops geranium essential oil

3 drops rosemary essential oil (may substitute bay EO if desired)

Mix all together and stir well. After shampooing, put mixture on towel-dried hair. Leave in for 5-10 minutes, then wash out. This mixture does not have a shelf life, so use it as soon as it is made.

Contest

17 Great Prizes Up For Grabs

What is better than having a chance to win a great prize? Having 17 chances to win one of 17 prizes, that's what! What am I talking about? Well, let me tell you all about it! The Stalkers guild, of Artfire.com, has come together to sponsor a treasure hunt.

To enter the treasure hunt, all you need to do is to search the participating shops to locate the

"You Found Me" picture. Keep track of where you find each shops' picture, then submit a list of where you found them on the Stalkers Blog. That's it, easy peesie! You can even enter once a day until the contest closes! WOW!!!! Winners will be chosen from correct entries. Each participating shop is the donor of one

of the prizes, so all the winners should be quite excited!!!

To read more about this, and to get the list of participating Artfire shops, visit the Stalkers Blog

Then Good Luck & HAPPY STALKING!!!!!!!

Make Some Gifts Others Would Love to Receive!

My strep throat is almost gone and I am staying out of bed for more than an hour each day, so back to this blog! With Christmas around the corner, my crafting has kicked into high gear, so I'd like to focus on some items that you can give as gifts, or treat yourself too!

First off, how about some lovely bubble bath? The recipe below is quick and easy, and will provide gentle bubbles, as well as help smooth the skin. Once made it will last for about three months.

GENTLE BUBBLE BATH

1 four ounce unscented glycerin soap bar

1/2 cup water

1 tsp glycerin

1 tsp baby shampoo (unscented is best)

3-5 drops of essential oil (your choice)

Melt the glycerin soap slowly in a double boiler on the stove. Once melted, remove from the heat and add the other ingredients. Stir for a minute. Put in a pretty bottle, add a ribbon if you'd like, and shake before using. It only takes 1-2 tsp. per bath.

GLYCERIN SOAP

Along with the bubble bath, what about some soap? To make a nice, quick, and easy bar, try purchasing a block of melt and pour glycerin and a Christmas mold.

All you have to do is melt the brick in your microwave and pour it into the mold. If you want to make it fancier, add 3-5 drops of an essential oil that is skin safe (as a general rule do not use cinnamon/cassia or citrus oils).

Make sure that you add the essential oil after the glycerin has cooled somewhat. If you want, you can also add 1-2 drop(s) of food coloring. Know that if you use an oil with vanilla in it, it will turn your soap bars a tannish to brown color.

Once poured into the molds, squirt some alcohol over the molds. This will prevent/remove bubbles from the back side of the molds. Allow the molds to sit until they are completely set. This will take three to four hours, or more, depending upon the depth of the mold. To see if set, press on the back of the mold. If the glycerin pushes in at all, it needs more sitting time. Once set, turn the mold over and pop out the bars. Make sure you wrap the soap in plastic wrap so that it will not draw moisture to itself, as that creates ugly "beading" on the bars.

Once wrapped, store out of the sunlight (you don't want them melting before you can give them away!).

So you have bubble bath and soap, now you need to find a creative way to package them. Try looking at your local craft store, or even the dollar store, for potential packages. You can find soap holders for the soap, wood boxes, baskets, or even planters. Be creative and remember that the container can also be a great gift!

Next week, more items you can make at home to give as gifts.

Falling Into Falll

The leaves are mid change here in the southern Ohio valley, the wind has picked up that cool chill, and the days are a bit dreary, yes, Fall is falling into place all around us. In this spirit I have found a few items that really speak Fall! First of all, this cool Artfire shop, Emily Claire Creations has some great items, especially the leaf pendants. My favorite being this leaf. I found these to be quite unique, and you know how I feel about all things Unique! Secondly, remember those fruit pompadours we use to make when we were kids? Well, I came across directions for one today and it brought back so many memories. I swear I could almost smell the clove as I read. So here are the directions. This would make a great project for you and your kids, or even just for you and a private trip down memory lane. They actually can be made quite lovely, with an air of sophistication, depending on your choice of pattern and ribbon. They would make a nice gift, or just a great "Fall" addition to your closet! Take 1 small orange a full bag of cloves 1-3 small cinnamon sticks and about 1 foot of your choice of ribbon Poke the cloves into the orange in a pattern of your choosing. When completed, use a crossover method with the ribbon (crossed at one end and then the other to secure the orange), make a hanging holder for the orange. At the top or second crossover (you may make as many crossovers as you like to make the hanger for your crossover secure), tie one or more cinnamon sticks on the top. Use the remaining ribbon to tie into a hanger at the top. When completed, hang on a Christmas tree or in a closet. These will last for one to three months!

Preparing for Cold and Flu Season

okay, I am going to try this one more time! This post has been mysteriously erased twice now, so I am hoping the third time is the charm!



I could NOT believe it when I awoke the other day to temperatures that were in the low 30's! I was freezing and laid in bed a lot longer than I should have, cuddling in the warmth of the blankets. Winter weather is quickly approaching and along with the cold temperature comes the beginning of cold and flu season. You can, however, create some products at home that will help you and your family minimize, or all together avoid the problems of the season. At the very least, these creations can offer some much needed winter-time relief


To begin with, we all know that we need to utilize frequent and good hand washing techniques in order to avoid the nasty bugs that others leave in/on public items, yet soap and water are not always available. This hand sanitizer recipe is a great, safe, alternative that you can carry in your purse, the car, or leave in your desk at work.

HAND SANITIZER

1/4 cup Everclear grain alcohol or 100 proof vodka


1/4 cup aloe vera gel

If you want to add scent, add 10-20 drops of fragrance oil, or 3-5 drops of Essential oil(s). In fact, if desired, you can even add one drop of food coloring.

Combine all of the ingredients and stir well. For ease of use, store in a bottle with a spray pump. This recipe has an indefinite shelf life and it makes 4oz.





Dandruff is a common scalp condition that occurs when dead skin is shed, producing white skin flakes. In addition to adding a B complex vitamin to your regimen, using one of the following after shampoo recipes should help keep nasty flakes from adorning your nice winter sweaters.

ANTI-DANDRUFF RINSE #1

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

4 cups water

1 cup thyme infusion 
*to make an infusion; Take 1 teaspoon of thyme and place it in 8 ounces of almost boiling water. Cover it, set aside, and allow to steep for at least 5 minutes before straining and using.*

Mix all ingredients together and use it as a rinse after shampooing. You will probably use about 1/2 of this recipe, depending upon your hair length. You can store any left-overs in a bottle, jut make sure that you keep it in a dark, cool place. It will only last for about 1 week, so make it when you expect to use it.

ANTI-DANDRUFF RINSE #2

1/4 cup tea tree extract

1/4 cup witch hazel

4 cups water

Mix all the ingredients together and use as a rinse after shampooing. You will use about 1/2 of this recipe, depending upon the length of your hair. Store the left-overs in a bottle. It should keep for about 2 weeks.

Unfortunately, almost everyone of us will need a cough formula during the upcoming winter season. Below are two formulas, one is an expectorant and the other is a night time formula.To make the night time formula more effective, consider taking both an Echinacea and a Rose Hip capsule before drinking the tea, then go straight to bed.

NIGHT-TIME COLD FORMULA

2 Tbs. lemon

1/4 cup corn syrup

1/4 cup hot water

2 Tbs. 90 proof vodka

Mix all together and drink slowly, then go nightie night! *This recipe is NOT intended for children!

In the following recipe, the onion and the garlic are tough on colds and fevers. The honey and the glycerin help to sooth throats, the vodka helps to quiet a cough, and horehound has been used for almost 2000 years for respiratory relief. If you can find the flower tops and the leaves of the horehound herb, you can make your own extract, OR you can simply use a purchased extract. In fact, horehound is not necessary for this recipe to be effective, but it does make the recipe better, so it is worth the effort to find it. If making this recipe for a child, leave out the vodka.

EXPECTORANT COUGH SYRUP

1 tbs. chopped red onion

1/4 cup honey

1 Tbs fresh lemon juice

1 Tbs. glycerin

2 Tbs. glycerin

2 Tbs 90 proof vodka

1 tsp. horehound extract

Scratchy or sore throats result from an irritation of the mucus membranes in the throat. To sooth and help settle the irritation, the throat needs to be coated in a pleasant way. The following recipe can be made ahead of time so you will be ready for your family's winter needs. This recipe can be adjusted to incorporate your favorite herbs, vitamins, and or flavors too!

LEMON AND HONEY DROPS

1 3/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup honey

3/4 cup light corn syrup

1/2 tsp. lemon extract

1/2 cup water

Line a 9x9 baking pan with aluminum foil (make sure that the foil continues up the sides of the baking pan).

Butter the sides of a 2 quart saucepan. Combine the sugar, corn syrup, water, and honey in the pan. Cook and stir over a medium-high heat until the mixture boils, stirring constantly to dissolve the sugar (about 4-6 minutes). Turn the heat down to medium and continue a light boil at a steady rate, stirring occasionally until it reaches the soft crack stage (290 degrees on a candy thermometer). Continue to cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Remove from the heat and allow to cool; over the next 2-3 minutes, stir occasionally. Add the lemon (and/or any other herbs or vitamins you desire). Then pour immediately into the foil-lined pan to cool. As it cools (another 3-10 minutes), you can use a spatula to "mark" your break lines into the cough drops, to make squares in the size you want for individual portions. The marks will stay when set up. If your marks do not stay, the mix is still too hot and needs to cool more; so wait a while and then try again.

Let the pan set overnight. Use the foil to lift it out of the pan and break it along the marks. Package in individual candy wrappers or wax paper, then store the individually wrapped pieces in a large baggie or a paper bag. This recipe will make 100-200 pieces, depending upon the sizes you mark and break. They will last 6-8 months if properly wrapped and stored.

**To pump up the volume on this drop recipe, making it a lot more herbal and holistic, try adding; 1 of each of the following tablets, crushed. Zinc, vitamin C, Echinacea, and Goldenseal. Make sure to add these at the end, stirring them in just before you pour the formula into the pan to cool.

So now that you have your dandruff under control and off of your nice winter sweaters, your cough eased, your sore throat soothed, and you can sleep through the night to spite your cold, what is left to make winter easier to endure? The following moisturizing facial mask, that's what!

CREAMY MILK FACIAL

1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/8 cup honey
4 Tbs. powdered milk
2 drops rosemary essential oil





Heat the honey to make it easier to mix, then blend with the mayonnaise, powdered milk, and rosemary essential oil. Use the milk in its powdered form, do not add water to it. If the mixture is still warm from the honey, let it cool for a few minutes first, then stir again and apply to your face and throat. Allow it to set for 15 minutes, then wash off, rinsing with tepid water, and pat skin dry. This recipe has no shelf life, so use it right after you make it.

Okay, this is QUITE frustrating! I created a whole post, with several recipes for dealing with winter woes, and something happened and it only gave the first one. Everything else was LOST!!! It is nowhere to be found. I know that I hit save just prior to posting it!!! ERGGGGG. I will redo this post a bit later today, I am just not in the mood at the moment, sorry!