The Natural Beauty Workshop

Natural Autumn Crafts

Autumn is a great time to be a crafter.  In New England, inspiration lurks around every corner as the colors of the leaves change the landscape from cheerful green hills to sunset colored forests.  Falling leaves, dusty acorns, and ruddy orange pumpkins paint a beautiful palette for the crafty artist to work with.  After a little web surfing I found a great selection of naturally inspired Autumn Crafts that the whole family can enjoy.

Acorn Crafts on MarthaStewart.com
Featuring two tasteful, but whimsical ways to work with acorns. Adorn a mirror with acorns of many sizes, or create adorable napkin rings for Thanksgiving or an Autumn dinner party.  I can foresee the napkin ring project taking on many other uses. These bendable pieces of artwork would look adorable wrapped around a candle base or a bar of soap.

Jeffrey Rudell Creates Breathtaking Thank You Cards on CraftyStylish.com
Jeffrey Rudell shows the step by step process of his incredible paper cutting technique.  The end result is a beautiful silhouette of Autumn wild flowers.  This project requires an awful lot of care and patience, but the effort will certainly be noticed by the lucky recipient of your beautiful note.

Jenny Shares Her Special Roasted Pumpkin Seed Recipe on ZestyEneterprise.com
What do you do with the massive pile of pumpkin seeds leftover from gutting your October Jack-O-Lanterns?  Many folks wind up discarding the seeds from their Jack-O-Lanterns, not realizing the tasty treat they were passing up.  My father never failed to snatch these little treasures up and toast them in the oven with a little oil and salt.  Jenny from Zesty Enterprise has taken the Roasted Pumpkin Seed one step further by incorporating her special blend of seasonings.

How to Dry Gourds & How to Build a Gourd Birdhouse on eHow.com
Pick up a gourd or two on your next trip to the pumpkin patch or apple orchard.  You may be surprised by the number of objects you can create using a dried gourd.  In the first article, eHow.com shows you how to dry and prep your gourd for your favorite gourd project.  Next, eHow.com takes you through the step by step process of turning your dried gourd into a beautiful birdhouse.  These make great gifts for friends and loved ones or for your neighborhood birds.

Acorn Photo by J.G.

Creating All Natural Body Powders

When I was a child, I had a bad habit of getting into my Mother's stash of skin care and bath products.  She had a special box in the bathroom that was off limits to all kids, but my curiosity got the best of me time and time again.  She had a great variety of fragrant bath goodies and mysterious creams, but my favorite thing to manhandle was her collection of  delicately scented dusting powders.  Each powder was stored in an elaborate case, and included a fancy, ribboned powder puff.  Something about dusting powders just screams femininity to me.  Even as an adult I find myself drawn to the intricately decorated powder boxes that I see in department stores and boutiques.

Aside from being sentimentally endearing, Body Powders can be of great benefit to a natural skin care routine.  Dusting a pleasantly scented powder on your body after a shower or bath can help to keep your skin feeling smooth and silky during humid weather.  Soothing powders such as Oat Starch can help to keep sensitive skin calm and happy all year long.  Body Powders can also help to regulate skin's moisture by absorbing excess oil, and can help reduce friction that can cause heat rashes and irritation which commonly occurs on the legs and arms.

Body Powders are simple to make, and can be composed of a variety of ingredients.  Rice Powder and Oat Starch make great bases since they have a similar texture to talc.  Arrowroot Powder, White Kaolin Clay, and Silk Powders can be added to enhance the texture or properties of a Natural Body Powder.  A small portion of Baking Soda may also be added to contribute a deodorizing quality to your powder.  This is especially helpful for making Foot Powders.  You can also choose to add powdered Herbs to your formulas, but bear in mind that most herbal powders are not ground finely enough to fully blend in with the rest of the powders in the recipe.  This may leave your powder feeling grainy or coarse.  Test small amount of herbal powder recipes before creating large batches to make sure you find the texture to your liking.

To scent your Natural Body Powder, simply add a few drops of Essential Oil or Absolute to a small amount of Rice Powder or Oatstarch.  Jasmine, Rose, or Lavender are some excellent choices.  A blend of Vanilla, Bergamot, and Ylang Ylang would also be wonderful.  Make sure that the Oil is totally dispersed before adding the scented starch to the rest of your batch. Stir the powder well after adding the Essential Oil or Absolute.  Take care not to stir your powder too quickly.  Doing so can cause the powder get into the air and can be dangerous if inhaled.  If you suffer from Asthma, or another respiratory condition, you may want to wear a mask while creating any powder type recipes.

While a box and a powder puff is a luxurious, classic way to package a Body Powder, it is not your only option.  Cardboard Powder Sifters are less messy, and far more convenient than a powder puff.  They are also much easier to find.  However, if you are like me, and have a soft spot for the powder puff, you may enjoy making one at home.  The simple sewing instructions below will help you create a powder puff from scratch.  These make great accessories for Natural Body Powders.

To make your own powder puff you'll need the following supplies:

• 1 8" x 8" swatch of plain Cotton, Terrycloth, or Bamboo Fabric
• 1 8" x 8" swatch of Fleece or another fuzzy textured Fabric
• 1 6" - 8" long piece of Ribbon
• Cotton or Synthetic Batting

Creating a powder puff is easy.  Simply follow the simple sewing instructions below:

• Trace a 6 inch circle onto both pieces of Fabric, then cut them out.
• Sandwich the Ribbon between the two circles and stitch most of the way around the outer edges, leaving about an inch of the circle open.
• Turn the circle inside out and stuff it with batting.
• Using a slip stitch, close the opening on the puff.

Soap Wings Tutorial

Creative packaging can add a sense of individuality and fun to handmade skin care products.  A simple bar of soap, for example, makes a great canvas to display some creative flair.  Soap Wings are a fun twist on the classic cigar band technique of packaging.  Fun shapes are hand cut into thick paper such as construction paper or card stock, giving each bar of soap a unique, handmade appearance.  You can use the shapes from our templates in the tutorial below, or invent your own wing patterns.  This technique can also be used with other symmetrical shapes such as Christmas trees, hearts, stars, or even cupcakes!  These adorable packages are great for party favors, stocking stuffers, or other special gifts.

For detailed instructions and a handy template download our printable Soap Wings Tutorial:

Download Soap_Wings_Tutorial.pdf

Natural Sachets and Home Fresheners

While Reed Diffusers and Spray Air Fresheners can be a lot of fun, many people prefer using only natural products to scent their homes.  Herbs and Essential Oils can be used in a number of ways to create all natural Home Fresheners.  Potpourri, Sachets, Aroma Crystals, and even Air Freshener Sprays can be created using either all or mostly natural ingredients.  Remember to choose your Essential Oils carefully, and do plenty of research, as these potent oils can cause serious health hazards if used incorrectly.

Herbal Potpourri and Sachets
Dried Herbs and Botanicals can be charged up with additional Essential Oils to boost their natural aroma.  These super charged herbs can then be added to muslin bags to make sachets or they can be displayed in containers throughout the home as dry potpourri.  To create an herbal sachet or potpourri simply combine your favorite dried herbs with a few drops of a complimentary Essential Oil.  Below, I've listed some of my favorite Herbs and Essential Oils for use in herbal potpourri and sachets:

Herbs
Chamomile Flowers
Lavender Buds, Super Blue
Jasmine Flowers
Lemongrass
Peppermint Leaf
Rose Buds
Rose Petals
Spearmint Leaf

Essential Oils
Basil
Bay
Bergamot
Chamomile
Cypress
Eucalyptus
Frankincense
Geranium
Ginger
Grapefruit
Juniper Berry
Lavender
Lemon
Lime
Mandarin
Orange
Patchouli
Peppermint
Petitgrain
Rose
Rosewood
Sage
Spearmint
Star Anise
Tangerine
Vanilla

Aroma Crystals
The Essential Oils listed above can also be added to Coarse Sea Salt to make Aroma Crystals.  Add about 2 - 5% Essential Oil to Coarse Sea Salt to give it a strong, natural fragrance.  The Aroma Crystals can be kept in a container and treated similarly to potpourri.  The salt can be recharged with more Essential Oil when they begin to lose their aroma.  Aroma Crystals can be left their natural color or they can be dyed using FD&C Liquid Dyes, Micas, or Oxides.  You can also mix a little Potpourri in with the crystals to enhance their appearance.

Air Fresheners
You can create an incredibly simple Air Freshener by putting your favorite Hydrosol into a spray bottle. Neroli, Lemon Balm, Lavender, and Rose Hydrosols make wonderful Home Fragrance Sprays when used alone or blended together.  These are the most simple and natural Air Fresheners that you can make.

If you would like something a little more involved you can use Polysorbate 20 to make your Essential Oils water dispersible.  Add an equal amount of Polysorbate 20 to your favorite blend of Essential Oils to make them water dispersible.  The water dispersible Essential Oil Blend can then be added to Hydrosol or Distilled Water to create an Air Freshening Spray.  1/8 to 1/4 ounce of Water Dispersible Essential Oil should be enough to scent 4 ounces of water.  When making Air Freshener Sprays that include Essential Oils it is important to keep in mind that many Essential Oils can rapidly degrade plastic. The most notorious culprits are spice and citrus oils, but many other Essential Oils can cause similar problems.  This is especially problematic when making Air Freshening Sprays as the Essential Oils can damage the sprayer tops, leaving them useless.  When making Essential Oil Air Fresheners it is always best to test a small batch to see how it behaves in your chosen packaging before making multiple bottles.   

Reed Diffusers

Reed Diffusers are an attractive and easily customizable way to fragrance your home.  FromNatureWithLove.com recently added a Reed Diffuser Base, and Diffuser Reeds to our product line, giving me the chance to experiment with these new items.  I had a great time experimenting with colors and scents, but was surprised to find out that not all colorants will behave themselves when added to Reed Diffuser Base.  I took some pictures of what happened when I added our line of Liquid D&C and FD&C colorants to our Reed Diffuser Base.

Coloring Reed Diffuser Base
Reed Diffuser Base reacts well with most Liquid FD&C and D&C Dyes.  The base can be colored drop by drop, and colors can be mixed and matched to achieve your own unique shades.  While most of the dyes work beautifully in Reed Diffuser Base, there are some dyes that did not color well.  Take a look at the following photos to see how each dye behaved when added to Reed Diffuser Base.

This picture shows our line of Oil Dispersible D&C Liquid Color Additives.  As you can see, the colors dispersed well, and after two weeks have not faded or morphed in color.  (1. Liquid D&C Violet #2 Oil, 2. Liquid D&C Red #17 Oil, 3. Liquid D&C Green #6 Oil, 4. Liquid D&C Yellow #11 Oil)

This pictures shows our Reed Diffuser Base colored with our warm colored Liquid D&C and FD&C Dyes.  These colors also stayed bright and bold after 2 weeks have gone by.  The most surprising color in this batch was the D&C Red #22.  This color turned a bright fluorescent color that seemed to shimmer both pink and orange.  (1. Liquid D&C Red #33, 2. Liquid FD&C Red #40, 3. Liquid D&C Red #22, 4. Liquid D&C Orange #4, 5. FD&C Yellow #6, 6. FD&C Yellow #5)

In this photo you can see the Reed Diffuser Base colored with our cool colored Liquid FD&C and D&C Dyes.  This batch had the most surprising results.  In the first bottle, the Liquid FD&C Green #3 never fully dissolved, leaving small particles suspended in the base.  The Liquid D&C Green #8 and the Liquid D&C Violet #2 produced virtually no color at all, even after I added an excessive amount of dye. The other two colors, Liquid D&C Green #5 and Liquid FD&C Blue #1, however, turned out quite nicely, neither morphing nor fading after a 2 week period. (1. Liquid FD&C Green #3, 2. Liquid D&C Green #5, 3. Liquid D&C Green #8, 4. Liquid FD&C Blue #1, 5. Liquid D&C Violet #2)

In this last photo I tried experimenting with an Essential Oils and some Herbs. In the first bottle I added Tangerine Essential Oil, but no dye.  As you can see, the Essential Oil added its own natural color to the Diffuser Base.  In the second bottle I added dried Juniper Berries.  The Diffuser Base remained clear after two weeks and I think the Juniper Berries look quite nice floating in the bottle.  In the third bottle I added Annatto Seeds, a Natural Tinting Herb.  The seeds immediately added color to the Diffuser Base, but after two weeks that color has become much more intense. (1. Tangerine Essential Oil, 2. Juniper Berries, 3. Annatto Seeds)

Scenting Reed Diffuser Base
Both Skin Care Fragrance Oils and Candle Fragrance Oils can be used to scent Reed Diffuser Base.  Add between 25% and 50% Fragrance to your base to load it with your favorite Fragrance.  Certain Essential Oils can also be used in Reed Diffuser Base, but the results will vary.  For instance, I added Tangerine Essential Oil to the bottle of base shown above.  For the first week the base smelled fine, but after two weeks the scent began to morph slightly.  The new scent was not offensive, but it was not nearly as pleasant as plain Tangerine Essential Oil.  For some reason the Reed Diffuser Base did not seem to be fully compatible with this Essential Oil.  I would highly recommend testing Essential Oils in small batches with Reed Diffuser Base before committing to a large batch.  Allow your test batch to sit for 2 - 3 weeks and pay attention to any change in aroma or appearance.  Some formulators also recommend using a higher concentration of Essential Oil in Reed Diffuser Base.  You may want to try to raising the concentration of Essential Oil in the base to between 50 - 75%.  If you prefer a more fool proof method of scenting your Reed Diffuser I would recommend using Fragrance Oils.

Displaying & Packaging Reed Diffusers
Reed Diffusers should be made with a glass bottle or vessel preferably with a small neck.  Our line of Boston Round Glass Bottles make great Reed Diffusers and come in a variety of sizes and colors.  Our natural rattan Diffuser Reeds can be used at their full size or cut carefully with scissors to accommodate small sized bottles.  When you are ready to use your diffuser dip about 5 reeds into the bottle then flip the reeds upside down, reinserting them into the bottle.  This will begin the wicking process.  Repeat this process whenever you need a sudden burst of fragrance.

Sweet Dream Bed Time Sachets

We all have trouble falling asleep now and again.  Every so often I spend a night tossing and turning instead of drifting happily to sleep.  Even a single night of poor sleep can lead to grogginess, irritability, and a poor attention span.  Those who suffer from frequent insomnia may fall victim to far worse maladies.  Without proper sleep, systems all over your body can go out of whack, resulting in migraines, stomach aches, body aches, or even a weakened immune system. 

Did you know that the aroma of certain herbs and Essential Oils can help induce sleepiness, and alleviate mild insomnia?  Aroma therapists are often called upon for the treatment of troubled sleepers.  Chamomile, Mandarin, Dill, and  Lavender are just a few of the many Essential Oils often used by aroma therapists for this purpose.  This simple sewing project teaches you how to create a small, herbal sachet that may promote relaxation, restfulness, and sleepiness.  Sweet Dream Bed Time Sachets are wonderful for personal use, but they also make lovely gifts.  Your friends and family are sure to appreciate the thoughtfulness and care that has been put into this handmade item.

Download sweet_dream_bed_time_sachets_pattern_and_instructions.pdf

Please note that due to the use of Essential Oils in this project, the herbal mixture recipe for The Sweet Dream Bed Time Sachets is not intended for children.  While Essential Oils are natural, and helpful in many applications, some of them can actually be hazardous to children and babies.  To create a sachet that can be given to children over 5 years old leave out the Essential Oil Blend and the Spearmint Leaves from the recipe.  Even with this modified recipe it is important to monitor your child for ANY allergic reaction.  Children can be very sensitive to herbs.  No variation of this recipe is recommended for kids under 5.  For information on safe, natural, child and baby care please take a look at this article on the subject from our FromNatureWithLove.com Library.

While Sweet Dreams Bed Time Sachets may help to induce sleepiness in some people, the best thing to do if you are suffering from severe insomnia is to consult a health care provider.  There are many avenues of treatment available for those who suffer from sleeplessness.  Besides medication, many people find massage, acupuncture, exercise, or a change in diet to be very helpful.  If you are not getting enough quality sleep speak to your physician right away

Valentine's Day Bath Tub Tea

Drop a heart shaped tea bag into your bath to add a little love to your tub.

Bath tea is a favorite bath treat of mine.  You can pack a lot of goodness into one little tea bag.  Herbs, milk powders, and salts are just a few of the many things you can stuff inside these single serving bath treats.  Best of all, the herbs will be safely contained inside the bag, keeping your tub (and plumbing) safe from a messy situation.  Fusible tea bags can be used as-is or cut into fun shapes.  In honor of Valentine's Day, I've made up a batch of heart shaped bags and filled them with an especially romantic recipe.

Valentine's Day Bath Tub Tea

Ingredients
1/2 cup Sea Salt, Medium
1/4 cup Shavegrass c/s
1/4 cup Oatstraw Tops
1/4 cup Calendula Petals
1/4 cups Lavender Buds Powder
1/2 cup Red Rose Petals

13 Large Tea Bags

 Essential Oil Blend
12 drops Bergamot Essential Oil
12 drops Mandarin Essential Oil
8 drops Lavender Essentail Oil
6 drops Ylang Ylang Essential Oil
6 drops Geranium Essential Oil

To Make the Tea
Pour the Sea Salt into a stainless steel mixing bowl.  Add the essential oil blend to the salt, stirring well to evenly disperse the oil.  Next, add the dried herbs and mix well.  Cover the bowl and set aside until the teabags are ready to be filled.

Cutting and Filling Tea Bags
Begin by counting out 13 tea bags.  Fold the tea bags in half and use a pencil to trace half of a heart onto the bag.  Make sure that the middle of the heart lies on the fold.  To make sealing and filling easier, trace a heart that is large enough to touch the top and bottom edges of the bag.  Cut out your heart, unfold, and set aside.  You can cut your hearts out lengthwise or crosswise.  One direction will give you a tall heart, the other will give you a fat heart.  I've cut both to show you the difference. 

Next, you'll need to seal 3/4 of the edges of the heart shaped tea bags.  Set an iron to a dry setting on medium to high heat.  Carefully run the hot iron over the edges of the tea bag.  Try to seal 1/8 - 1/4 of an inch into the bag, leaving a good sized space for filling.  Be sure to leave at least 1-2 inches of the bag open.  You'll need this open space in order to fill the tea bag.

Once your tea bags are ready, you can fill them up!  Each bag will be able to hold around 2 tablespoons of the tea mixture.  Try not to overfill the bags, as they will be harder to seal.  If you end up with extra tea mixture, simply cut and prep more tea bags.  After filling each bag, carefully seal the opening with your iron.  If you are having trouble sealing a bag, check to see if you have the right sides of the bag together.  If the wrong side of the fusible paper is facing out, the bag will not seal properly.

The finished tea bags can be packaged in a number of ways.  Cello bags, or Tin Tie Bags are my favorite ways to show off the tea bags, but be creative!  Clear takeout boxes, specialty envelopes, or muslin bags, are some other nice ideas.  Try presenting your bath teas inside a vintage tea cup, or in a basket of gourmet scented soaps.

To Use
Simply drop one or two tea bags into warm bath water to release the aromatic essential oils.  The herbs inside the bag will steep in water, creating a relaxing, herbal bath.  The salt crystals will dissolve on their own, giving the bath additional detoxifying, and circulatory benefits.

Tips and Suggestions
This recipe can be easily customized or altered to suit your tastes.  Try changing the essential oil blend, or selecting different herbs.  Milk powders, Clays, Water Soluble Extracts, or Grain Products can also be added to bath teas.  Like salt, they will dissolve into the water when added to the bath.