How to Make a Dried Orange Garland


We love to savor the quiet days of December.  We  put on some music, make cocoa, and spend the afternoons creating handmade ornaments to decorate our home.  One of our favorite Chirstmas DIY projects is to make dried orange garlands.  We string the oranges together and hang over doorways and windows.  We also tie strings to individual dried orange slices to use as ornaments on our tree.   The dried oranges add a pop of color and have a light citrus scent that makes our home smell like the Holidays! 


How to Make a Dried Orange Garland

1. Preheat your oven to 250 degrees F. 

2.  Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper. 

3.  Using a serrated knife, slice 4-5 Naval oranges so the slices are 1/4th to 1/8th of an inch thick.

4.  Lay the orange slices in a single layer on the cookie sheet.  Pat each orange slice with a paper towel to remove excess moisture and to speed up the drying process.  

5.  Bake for 4 hours or until the oranges are turning slightly brown and appear to be dry.  (I flip mine over after 2 hours)

6.  Allow the oranges to cool.  Use a fishing line and a needle to string the oranges together.  I like to string the oranges through the flesh part of the fruit, not the rind.  Oranges can be placed right next to each other or with a space in-between.  It's totally up to you!  


We love to string fresh cranberries on another garland so we can weave the oranges and cranberries together.  The orange and red combo adds such a pop of color to our Christmas tree!  

Do you make homemade garlands?  What do you add to yours?




Homemade Beeswax Candles


There is a hush in the air every time we strike a match.  When the little flame appears,  the mood shifts and tiny bodies start to quiet down. Our school day always begins with a candle and a prayer.  Our evenings often end with a candle and a prayer.  When there is a flame, my people know it is time to settle in and soak up the important message.  

Unfortunately candles often come with a price.  Synthetic fragrances cause hormone disruption and lead to respiratory issues.  Wicks are often filled with lead and other carcinogens. 

Homemade beeswax candles offer light and ambiance without additives.  Beeswax has a subtle honey scent that is pleasant for any room in the house.  Adding spices can shift the aroma and add a pop of color.

Materials:
5 tsp ground cinnamon (optional)
5 tsp ground cloves (optional)
Hot glue gun/glue
Double boiler or glass jar for melting

Instructions:
Use the hot glue gun to glue the wicks to the bottom of the jars.  (A popsicle stick or plastic spoon can be helpful to move it into place).

Melt the beeswax in your double boiler on the stove or in a large glass jar in the microwave.  (Beeswax is very hard to remove, so use a glass jar you aren't attached to).  If microwaving, microwave for one minute at a time and take out to stir with a popsicle stick.  Repeat until beeswax is a liquid.

Once the beeswax is liquid, stir in the coconut oil and spices if you plan to use them.  Lay down parchment paper or newspaper over your workspace.  I got beeswax on my countertop and it is very difficult to remove! Place the jars on top of the parchment paper.

Pour the liquid beeswax mixture into the jars.  Immediately after pouring, wipe down your double boiler/glass jar with a paper towel to remove the remaining beeswax.  If it hardens before you can remove it, reheat your container until the beeswax becomes liquid again and immediately wipe it out.  Once it hardens, it is very difficult to clean.

Position the wicks in the candles so they will harden in the middle. Allow the wax to cool completely before you move the jars.  Trim the wicks to your desired height.  

The fist time you light your candle, plan to keep it lit for at least 2-3 hours so the entire surface can melt to prevent tunneling.



A fun alternative is to roll beeswax sheets to make taper candles!  My kiddos loved doing this!  We used these kits and we have this taper candle holder in the middle of our kitchen table.

Have you made homemade beeswax candles?  Do you have any tips or tricks?

Foaming Hand Soap



Foaming Hand Soap

 WHAT YOU NEED:
-Foaming Hand Soap Dispenser
-Distilled water
-2 Tbsp of Liquid Castile Soap
-1 tsp of Olive oil
-10 drops of Essential oil


Fill soap dispenser with water until it is 2 inches from the top. Add essential oil, olive oil and then add Castile Soap. Do not add soap first because it will cause a lot of bubbles when the water is added.


Our favorite oils for our foaming hand soap:  Christmas Spirit, Northern Lights Black Spruce, Thieves, Cinnamon Bark, and Clove.




Oily Supplies



Yay!  Your oils and diffuser have arrived!  If you find yourself itching to make a few DIY recipes but aren't sure where to find supplies, I've got you covered! 


Here is a list of all of my favorite places to find oily supplies! 

Aloe Vera Gel We use this to make our after-sun spray, hand purifier and a ton of DIY recipes.  

Castile Soap We use this to make foaming hand soap, bubble bath, and body wash.  We only use 1-2 Tbsp at a time so a little bit goes a long way! This bottle lasts forever.  It is unscented so we customize the scent with our essential oils. 

Coconut Oil  This is our favorite carrier oil.  I love the pump top.  If I want to dilute an oil I just put on one of my kiddos I can squirt Coconut Oil right on their skin.  This is also the carrier oil we use in our Rollers. 

Double Boiler Pot This is not a necessary kitchen gadget, but it is helpful when you are melting ingredients.  You can also use a glass Pyrex bowl and set it in your pot.

Essential Oil Bags These adorable bags keep your oils organized.  Toss one in your purse and you will have everything you need! 

Glass Foaming Hand Soap Dispensers I've used these foaming dispensers for 6 years and they are still holding up!  I also toss one of these in the shower for foaming body wash.

Jojoba Oil This is our favorite oil to use for facial skincare products.  Jojoba oil has a similar molecular structure to the naturally occurring sebum on our face so we aren't worrying about it clogging pores. 

Labels for Roller Bottles  My favorite Etsy shop to find cute labels for my rollers and spray bottles!

Roller Bottles Rollers allow us to mix up our favorite combos and to apply the essential oils to our skin without making a mess!

Shea Butter We use a cheese grater to break it into smaller chunks to make it easier to melt when we are making body butter. 

Spray Bottle and Roller Starter Pack  A combo of Rollers and Spray bottles of a variety of sizes

4 oz Spray Bottles We use this size for scalp spray, linen spray, fruit and veggie spray, etc.. 

16 oz Spray Bottles  We use this size to make our Thieves Household Cleaner (one capful) and DIY Window Cleaner

Wool Dryer Balls  Toss these in the dryer instead of dryer sheets!


What are your favorite oily accessories?  Share your links below!

Linen Spray


While I am calling these Linen Sprays, they can actually be used for so many things! Spray on couches, your pillow at bedtime, spritz your hair, spray on your clothes, spray in the bathroom, etc.. The possibilities are endless! 

 

These recipes are for 2oz glass spray bottles.  Add the essential oils, and a splash of witch hazel or a pinch of Himalayan salt, and fill the bottle with water.  Shake before you spray.  ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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🍃 SWEET DREAMS SPRAY:
5 drops Lavender
5 drops Cedarwood
5 drops Orange
2 drops Peace & Calming
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🍃 FOREST FRESH SPRAY:
3 drops Lavender
4 drops Pine
2 drops Cypress
1 drop Spearmint
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🍃 CITRUS SPRAY:
5 drops Bergamot
5 drops Lime
3 drops Lemon
3 drops Grapefruit
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🍃 FRESH FIELDS SPRAY:
4 drops Geranium
6 drops Lavender
5 drops Orange
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🍃 SEASIDE BREEZE SPRAY:
4 drops Lavender
5 drops Lime
3 drops Spearmint
2 drops Stress Away
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🍃 MOUNTAIN AIR SPRAY:
3 drops Cedarwood
3 drops Lavender
4 drops Tangerine
2 drops Northern Lights Black Spruce
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Do you make up Linen/Room Sprays for your home? What are your favorite combos?! ✨