Watermelon Sherbert Scrub

Here is a refreshing scrub for the summer from The Natural Beauty Workshop - Watermelon Sherbert Scrub:

Makes about 16 ounces

Ingredients

• 8 ounces Shealoe Butter
• 2 cups Dendritic Salt
• 1/4 ounce Watermelon Candy Fragrance Oil
• 2 .15 cc scoops of FDA Red Mica*
• 2 .15 cc scoops of FDA Green Mica*

*Please note: These colorants may bleed or fade over time.  For a more reliable color, try using Chromium Oxide Green or Avocado Mica for the green section and Rouge Flambe Mica or Pink Glimmer Mica for the red section.

Directions

Start by mixing the Dendritic Salt, Fragrance Oil, and Shealoe Butter together in a large mixing bowl.  The Shealoe Butter should be soft enough to mix at room temperature, but if it is too firm, try warming it gently by submerging the sealed container in a hot water bath for several minutes.  When the first three ingredients are mixed thoroughly, separate the mixture into four equal portions.  Place two portions into a separate mixing bowl and add the FDA Red Mica, mixing well to fully disperse the colorant.  Next, put one portion in another bowl and add the FDA Green Mica.  Leave the last portion of scrub white.  (Tip: If you like, you can add a little extra Mica for a bolder color.  Just don't add too much, or the color could end up dyeing your skin while using the scrub.) Now that your scrub is colored, you can scoop it into your containers.  Start by adding the green scrub, then the white, then the pink.  You'll want to fill 1/4 of the jar with green scrub, 1/4 with white scrub, and 1/2 with pink.  It helps to tap the mixture down in between each layer.

Packaging

For this recipe, we used four 4 ounce PET Jars with White Lids.  You can split the scrub into smaller or larger portions by using another sized jar.  Your scrubs will look extra cute if you use our free printable labels.  Download them here: Download WatermelonSherbScrubLabelsSheet  You can attach the labels to the jars directly, or punch a small hole in them to use them as tags.

How to Make Wax Dipped Flowers

Here are instructions from Lone Star Candle Supply on How to Make Wax Dipped Flowers. If you are interested in creating other types of candles check out Lone Star Candles Step by Step Guides section on their website.

Fill a rooom with fragrance and beauty with scented, wax dipped flowers. Make fragrance filled arrangements any time of year that last much longer than fresh cut flowers. This fun, easy project can be adapted to different holidays by using different flowers.

Materials Needed:

Artificial Flowers
Pillar or Votive Wax
Fragrance Oil
Candle Dye (Optional)
Pouring Pot
Thermometer
UV Stabilizer (Optional)
Butcher Paper or Newspaper
Paper Towels
Metal Spoon or Stir Stick

Cover your work area with butcher paper or newspaper. Spills or drips are most times unavoidable, and clean up is much easier if you don’t have to clean wax off of your work surface.

Step 1 – Prepare wax

Prepare the wax as if you were making candles. The wax should be at the appropriate pouring temperature for the wax you are using. This will usually be between 160 and 180 degrees.

The amount of wax needed will vary depending on the size flowers and quantity that are being dipped. For this example, we melted about 1.5 pounds of wax. that was enough for about 10 flowers, and there was a considerable amount left over.

The addition of dye may not be necessary if you would prefer the color of the artificial flowers be unchanged. Dye can be added, but keep in mind it will change the appearance of the flowers.

Step 2 – Submerge the flower

Submerge the flower in the melted, fragranced wax. Make sure to cover the base of the flower, but it is not necessary to dip the stem. When removing the flower from the wax, gently shake off the excess so beads of wax do not form on the top as the flower is cooling.

If a flower with many smaller petals was used, it may be necessary to separate the petals so they are not stuck together when it cools. To do this, either use a plastic fork (or something similar) or gently blow on the flower while rotating it to help separate the petals.

Step 3 – Allow flower to dry

Next, hang the flower upside down to dry. Make sure to place something under the flower to catch any wax that may drip.

That's it!

You're finished! The flowers may be given or sold individually, or make an arrangement with different fragrances that compliment one another.

NOTE: Be careful when moving or transporting the flowers. There is a very thin layer of wax surrounding each petal. They feel hard to the touch, but they can crack easily.

Lavender Dusting Powder for the body

Love lavender?  Love using dusting powder?  Then why not combine the two by making this Lavender Dusting Powder recipe from Cultivating Life. 

This recipe is very simple to make and only needs a few ingredients and tools.  I found adding a pinch of sea salt very odd in a powder recipe and I would leave it out. I get enough salt in my diet anyway.  I  need to be more care with my salt intake.

Tools:

Mixing bowl
Glass storage jar

Materials:

1 cup cornstarch
1 tablespoon arrowroot
1 teaspoon dried ground lavender buds
(Optional) ½ tsp dried rose, sage, thyme and/or calendula petals,
Pinch of sea salt

Directions: 

Put cornstarch, arrowroot, dried ground herbs/flowers and salt in bowl and whisk together. Remove any prickly pieces of dried plants. Put mixture in glass jars and seal tightly. Allow mixture to rest in dry place for a day or two so ingredients can meld.

To use: sprinkle onto dry clean skin or apply with a fluffy powder puff to areas prone to moisture. Excellent when used as a natural underarm deodorant, foot powder or dusting powder for babies.

Source: http://www.cultivatinglife.com/Lavender-Hand-Cream-and-Dusting-Powder.html?searched=lavender+dusting&advsearch=oneword&highlight=ajaxSearch_highlight+ajaxSearch_highlight1+ajaxSearch_highlight2

Lotion Bar Recipe from The Soap King

Learn how to make these Lovely Lotion Bars from The Soap King. They are simply to make and once you have made them you can simply package them in a travel candle tin with some tissue paper. And to top it off you can place a label on the lid.  What a unique and handmade gift to give to friends and family for any occassion.

In this recipe, The Soap King left out fragrance and coloring.  He does mention it in his instructions.  Just be careful when you add coloring. If it is waterbased it may not totally incorporate since this recipe has oils in it.  And we all know that water and oil do not mix.  You can either used essential or fragrance oil to scent your recipe.  If you infuse your oil with lavender (or any other herb), I would suggest not scenting your recipe because the natural fragrance will pentrate the oil.

Another fair warning:  In the recipe, the author mentions melting your beeswax in the microwave.  I have always been told not too because of its flashpoint and it may combust and start a fire.  It is just as easy to melt it in a double boiler.

The author also gives this tip:

If your balm is very hot when you pour, it is more likely to crack on the tops as it cools. If you start getting cracks, pour at a lower temperature. Wait for 1 hour before moving, then cap, label and use. I like to put mine in the freezer for about 10 minutes to help them pop right out of the mold. Try using the Bug-Be-Gone Synergy Blend with an inspect inspired mold. You'll be a real hit at any outdoor festival or market this summer.

To view the complete recipe on how to make these lotion bars, visit The Soap King's Blog entry on July 1, 2010 - Lovely Lotion Bars.

How To Make A Lemon or A Lavender Sachet

Create Lemon or Lavender Sachets Adapted from Gifts for Herb Lovers by Betty Oppenheimer (Storey Books, 1997). Once you begin to create sachets, you'll probably find them irresistible. You'll need to purchase a few ingredients, such as the fixative and the oils, but the rest can be grown in your garden. Bags to hold the ingredients can be made from scrap material and kept ready to use whenever the spirit moves you to make a batch of potpourri.

MATERIALS

For each bag, finished size 4" x 2-1/2"6" x 6" piece of tightly woven fabric (cotton or silk is classic)Sewing threadRibbonRubber band (optional)1. Turn under (toward wrong size) and press 1/2", then 1" of fabric on one edge, and stitch 1/8" in from the bottom of the hem (or 7/8" down from top edge of hem).2. With right sides facing, fold the bag in half and stitch 1/2" from edge on the two raw edges.3. Clip the raw-edged corner and turn the bag right-side out. Press seams.

FILLING THE BAGS

4. If your fabric is not tightly woven, make inner bags, using a double layer of cheesecloth, but make the bags 2" x 2-1/2".5. Fill the bags (or inner bags) about 2/3 full with sachet mix, about 3 tablespoons.6. Tie a ribbon around the bag, around the seam line from the hem. If the ribbon is not secure enough, fasten the bag closed with a rubber band first, then hide the rubber band with the ribbon.FillingsKeep the fillings in a glass jar with an airtight lid and age them for several weeks before using. This allows the oils and fixative to blend, and for all the scents to meld. These recipes make large batches -- enough to make several. You can store any extra filling in the jar for later use.

Forever Lavender

16 ounces lavender flowers
2 ounces sweet woodruff
1/2 ounce oak moss
1/2 ounce thyme
8 ounces dried orange peel
4 ounces gum benzoin
Several handfuls of other herbs and flowers (such as peppermint, violets, rose geramium petals)
1/4 ounce cloves and anise, combined.

Combine all of the ingredients and shake occasionally during aging.

Very Lemon

1 pound dried lemon peel
1 pound cut orrisroot
1/8 ounce oil of lemongrass
1/2 ounce oil of lemon peel
1 ounce oil of bergamot

Put the lemon peel in a jar. Add the orrisroot. Add the oils and allow them to seep down into the mix, shaking occasionally.

Source: http://www.homemade-gift-basket-ideas.com/sachets.html