Daybook 32

Outside my window- The sun just disappeared behind the trees.

I am thinking about- I'm hoping our lake will freeze over soon so we can go skating... :)

From the kitchen- I just finished scrubbing potatoes for supper.

I am creating- Still crocheting away at my afghan... :)

I am reading- I finished both my library books- "The Mark of Athena" was awesome, with a cliff-hanger ending (literally!!), and "Throne of Glass"... meh. I didn't really like it.

I am hearing- Dad's driving the Bobcat around outside...

I am planning- Hoping to hang with my besties tomorrow... :D

I am wearing- Jeans, and a blue plaid shirt.

My hair is- Bobby-pinned back on one side with a flower.

Around the house- I took a walk this afternoon- & took some pretty fading-sunshine-sorts-of-pictures. :)

November 9, 10, 11 & 12

November 9

I finally got the books from the library that I'd been waiting several months for... :)

November 10

I went to a play at our community theater with my sisters and besties!

November 11

We have little Pilgrim and Indian people decorating the top of our cornburner stove, 

courtesy of Mollie. :)

November 12

Snowy day.

How to Make an Essential Oil Journal

Meet Lea...   

Lea has one of those annoying, super creative yet organized brains.  

I've come to realize that's a rare combination, I envy her :)  

A few weeks ago Lea sent me some photos of how she's journaling her own essential oil discovery.  Her ideas are economical, creative and so smart!  I asked Lea if she would delight you with her expertise today, she didn't disappoint..enjoy!
 

Journaling Your Essential Oils Journey

Guest Blog by Lea B

I love to journal. It’s something I’ve done since I was a teenager. I love to collage, too – cut pictures from magazines or print things I find online and tape or glue them to just about everything, especially in my journal. I am also a big list maker; I write notes to myself and paste them all over (any other Virgos recognize this trait?!).

When I first started following OUR favorite blog Camp Wander, there were so many great ideas that I wanted to keep. Sure I’m on Pinterest, I have a folder on Facebook for all my essential oil pages I ‘like;’ I have a laptop and a Kindle Fire and a smart phone; you’d think that would be enough. But even with all those techy things within my reach, I was writing down ideas from webinars and making notes of things I’d read online, they were stacking up everywhere – in drawers, on my desk, stuck to the wall, in the kitchen where I keep my oils.

*light bulb moment*

I needed a file for all these or even better:

START A JOURNAL!

I happen to have blank journals everywhere. People are always giving me journals for presents. I keep them in stacks in the closet, eventually I find a use for them or re-gift them (*gasp*). If you aren’t lucky enough to have a stock pile of journals lying around, they are everywhere – the grocery store, every big box store, the bookstore (shop local first!). Pick one you love, you’ll be using it all the time so you should have one that speaks to you. I prefer spiral bound for two reasons, you can fold it over to be half size for your lap and you can lay it flat [when you’re following a potion recipe].

On a budget? If you have a paper hole punch, ribbon or O-rings and paper, make your own!

Now the fun begins. I went through all of the archives on Camp Wander, copied them into a Word document so that I could make them fit my journal pages [I did narrow margins and landscape orientation to get two columns on one page] then printed in color. I used my craft supplies – a paper cutter (scissors would totally work) and double sided tape (you can also use a 
glue stick but it may wrinkle your pages). If you want to get fancy you can use colored pens, stickers, accent papers, anything YOU want.

I made labels for three sections: EO: general info, Uses of oils and blends, Potions. Then I decided what info should go where and away I went to paste all this new knowledge into my journal.

Rebecca recently mentioned keeping a journal of things that work for you, since our different chemistries can make the oils work differently. This would be a great fourth section: Personal Journey! I think I will add this to mine – making notes about my favorite OnGuard tea (honey, 2 drops of OnGuard, and hot water), what I add to my cleaning spray that smells great (lemon in my vinegar/water spray bottle). Oh, recently I started making the travel tins and using roller bottles (seriously changing my life and the way and frequency I use oils!!) and I could write about blends and ratios.

Now you have your very own journal to document your Essential Oils Journey, keep all your information in one place, bring it to the kitchen to create a potion or two, and stuff it in your bag when you head out to spread the word {“Oh I have an oil for that…”} with everyone you talk to!

Happy Journaling my EO friends, Lea

The Fragrant Home and Life!

The first thing to greet your guests as they walk through your front door is your home's signature fragrance.

The fragrance of our home is unique.  It's a fingerprint of all who live there, that speaks volumes about it's inhabitants!   I bet it's safe to say that most of us love to walk into a home that smells of fresh laundry or baked bread, hot chocolate chip cookies or coffee brewing.  These aromas are relax and comfort us, they induce a physical reaction and create memories that stay with us for a lifetime.  Fragrance is no small matter!

Did you know fragrance can send money flying out of our wallets?  Take Williams Sonoma for example, their signature fragrance of Rosemary, Lemon and Vanilla is thoughtfully designed to draw us in.  Draw me in it does!  Here's my faux WS recipe using essential oils...just in case you need it...it's yummy!

Recreate the Williams-Sonoma store scent with Spark Naturals essential oils.

 
1 1/2 Cup water
6 drops Lemon EO
3 drops Rosemary EO
4 drops Clove EO

2 teaspoons Vanilla
You can substitute fresh ingredients of course!
Let simmer on stove, or in a mini crockpot.

The science of fragrance is real.  When we understand that synthetic scents fill our homes and our bodies with chlorofluorocarbons and other chemicals we can truly see the value of essential oils even more clearly.  A home's signature scent should never be the cause of migraines, allergies and ozone depletion.    

Unlike chemicals, essential oils don't remain in the body.  They leave no toxins behind.  Essential oils make sense as air purifiers and refreshers because they cleanse the air by altering the structure of the molecules creating the smells.  Synthetic room scents only mask odors. 




Now that the stage has been set for "change", I want to share a simple method for altering your homes fragrance signature for the better.  You certainly didn't think I'd send you away empty handed did you?

You'll need something similar to this, a 1 qt glass spray bottle...an essential oil user's BFF.  You can find them {HERE}. Why glass (or stainless steel)?  Essential oils and plastic don't mix because PURE essential oils will leach petro chemicals from plastic.

 Mother Nature takes issue with chemicals and so should we!

Spritzing a fine mist of essential oils and water OFTEN into the air will give the oils a chance to change the aroma molecules in every room.  Gravity will pull the oils down into the carpets and rugs...where disagreeable odors and bacteria hide out.

Basic Essential Oil Home Spray Recipes

20 drops per 2 cups of water

Kitchen Spray Choices:

Rosemary

Lemon

Bergamot

Lime

Wild Orange

Dishwasher & Dish Soap:

Add 2 drops Lemon to dishwashing powder.

Add 10 drops of Lemon, Lavender or Bergamot to a bottle of dishwashing liquid, shake gently.

Living Room Spray:

8 drops Geranium    

3 drops Clary Sage  

5 drops Lemon         
3 drops Bergamot  

Bath Spray:

10 drops Lemon 
10 drops Lavender
 5 drops Bergamot
 5 drops Cinnamon




Take inventory of your home's fragrance signature.  Replace synthetic scents with healthy Home Sprays made with pure essential oils.  Use them often, let the pure plant essence permeate your carpets, draperies and furniture.  Your home's fragrance footprint will be refreshed and renewed with essential oils, all who pass through your front door will feel and SMELL the difference! 

Refresh & Renew!

Rebecca

Camp Wander's Big Diffuser Giveaway!

How to Enter!

1.  Go to Camp Wander on Facebook:  

     LIKE the page!

     SHARE the post! 

      

2.  Leave a comment!   Who made you laugh today??

3.  Email your contact info to rebecca@campwander.com

Giveaway ends Sunday @ midnight Mountain Time

Good Luck :))  

November 5, 6, 7 & 8

November 5

It takes skillz to rag curl your hair and read kdrama subtitles at the same time.

I have skillz. ;P

November 6

I voted.

November 7

Susan, wearing the monster pants that Grandma (my mum) knitted for her. 

Is she adorbs, or what? :) 

November 8

Dutch braid + side ponytail.

Daybook 31

Outside my window- There was a gorgeous pink sunset earlier this evening.

I am thinking about- Us girls had a delightful afternoon watching the latest version of "Emma" with my sister in-law, and drinking tea and eating cookies. :D

From the kitchen- I was kinda in a baking mood today. So I made biscuits for lunch. And cornbread for supper. And molasses cookies. :)

I am creating- I've been working on finishing my afghan the past few days- I'm on my last ball of yarn!

I am reading- At the mo, I'm between books.

I am hearing- Mollie setting the table, & my brothers playing video games upstairs.

I am planning- Supper, then dishes...

I am wearing- A black & red plaid shirt with a belt, and a long denim skirt.

My hair is- In messy pigtails. :)

Around the house- Babysat my nieces and nephew for awhile this afternoon- which was super easy, 'cause they napped the whole time. :D