A Birthday Surprise

Last week, my girlfriend Lady Day and I met with our other dear friend, Julianne of Providence Lodge to celebrate Julianne's birthday.  We met in a little restaurant for tea and spent the better part of the afternoon talking and talking and talking.

Lady Day, Julianne and I have been friends for many years.  Our children have grown up together.  We have celebrated with each other, cried with each other and occasionally been irritated with each other.  Our collective children, when they were younger, were affectionately known as "The Locust" because they would eat us out of house and home whenever we spent the day together.  While our husbands would talk over the problems of the world, we ladies would encourage one another.  We would share our hearts, snuggle our children and drink cup after cup of tea.

As our children have grown older, our get togethers have become depressingly infrequent.  We still make time for birthday celebrations and an occasional afternoon visit, however we rarely have an opportunity to get all of the families together.  The children have grown, many of them have married and begun their own families.  The ones left at home are busy, all going their separate ways.  Now, rather than tending small children, wiping noses and cuddling babies, we are talking about weddings and grand babies and our changing roles in life.

Oh, what joy there is in an afternoon of sweet fellowship with these wonderful, dear friends!  After catching up on all of our latest news, Lady Day and I presented Julianne with our small tokens of affection.  Lady Day's gift to our dear friend was perfect - a handmade "Naturally Concealed" holster.  Once Julianne chooses her concealed carry pistol, she will give measurements to Lady Day, who will then custom-make a holster so that she can conceal carry with ease.  If there is a more thoughtful gift to be had, I certainly can't think of it!

My gift was far less grand, but no less heartfelt.  Julianne's husband was diagnosed with cancer about a year and a half ago, and since then, Julianne has done her best to bring nothing but healthful things into their home.  She has cut out all processed foods and sugars and has even gone so far as to discontinue alcohol filled cleansers, lotions and bath products.  Knowing that natural bath products are expensive and hard to come by, I made a basket full of items crafted in my own kitchen, with ingredients I could pronounce.

I made some tried and true recipes and a few new ones, with great results.  Knowing that Lavender was one of Julianne's favorite scents, I made most of her bath products with a liberal amount of Lavender essential oil.  First up was Lavender Whipped Body Butter.  I used the same recipe as the Peppermint Whipped Body Butter, using Lavender essential oil instead of Peppermint.  Next up was my favorite Lavender Body Lotion.  I love the way it glides on, leaving skin so smooth and soft.  Not wanting to stop there, I tried a new recipe, Peppermint Citrus Sugar Scrub.  Sublime!  And last, but not least, I made a Spa Lavender Detox Soak, a soothing combination of Epsom Salts and baking soda, scented with a healthy dose of Lavender (perfect for night-time soak).

After I mixed and stirred and poured into containers, I loaded everything into a basket, added a couple of candles and presented it to my dear friend - bath products fit for healthy living.

The afternoon spent with my wonderful friends reminded me how precious and rare our friendship is - and inspired me to make more of an effort to nourish and maintain this lovely gift.  All of the busyness in the world is no substitute for the most treasured gift - the gift of "bosom friends".

If you would like to make a gift of healthy bath indulgences, you can find two of the recipes below and follow the links to the other two.  Enjoy creating a beautiful life!

Peppermint Citrus Sugar Scrub

1 C granulated sugar
1/2 C oil (olive oil, coconut oil, sweet almond oil)
2 - 4 T ground orange peel (optional - makes a great exfoliant)
2 T glycerin (optional)
10 drop peppermint essential oil (more or less)
10 - 15 drops sweet orange essential oil (or other citrus oil of your choice)

Mix sugar, oil, orange peel and glycerin together.  Gradually add the essential oil, mixing well.  Store your scrub in a glass container.  (I put mine in a metal powder container lined with plastic wrap).  TO USE:  Rub a small amount on wet hands, scrub body, rinse with warm water.

Crushing the orange peel using a mortar and pestle

Mixing all of the luscious ingredients

Spa Lavender Detox Soak

1 C Epsom Salts
1 C Baking Soda
Lavender Essential Oil

Mix the Epsom salts and baking soda well.  Add essential oil to achieve the desired scent.  You can use any essential oil you'd like, however, the Lavender is very relaxing.  Pour a splash into the hottest tub you can stand and take a leisurely soak.

In a plastic wrap lined antique powder tin

Rather charming, I thought

Simply Perfect Body Lotion

Recently I have been experimenting with all things to do with personal body care.  It occurred to me the other day that I had no idea what any of the ingredients were on my shampoo other than aqua.  That is a sad state of affairs!  I make every effort to provide my family meals made with whole foods (as much as possible) so it would stand to reason that I would make the same effort with personal care products as well.  I have dabbled in homemade care products for years, however, until now, I have never jumped in with both feet.

I have been experimenting with body butters, sugar scrubs and homemade bag balm, but this week's project was body lotion.  The recipe I discovered has only 3 ingredients, but I have to tell you - it makes my skin so soft that I can hardly believe it!  My husband is especially thrilled with the results.  I find myself slathering lotion on at every available opportunity.

The first lotion I made I scented with Lavender essential oil.  Lavender is so earthy and soothing and is perfect for sore muscles.  Miss Serenity pulled a muscle in her back while we were working on the log deck and after the day's work was done she treated herself to a hot lavender bath and asked me to rub lavender lotion on her back after she was finished.  It helped her so much that she had me put lotion on her several more times over the next few days to facilitate the healing of her pulled muscle.

Grated beeswax

Coconut oil and beeswax

Melting over low heat

Completely melted

Cooled and ready to whip

Creamy lotion - ready to bottle

With such success with the lavender lotion, I decided to make something a little more "manly" for the men in my life.  Shuffling through the cupboard I came up with Fir Needle Balsam essential oil.  Oh, it smells so good!  Spicy and earthy and eminently masculine!  I added just enough to the lotion to produce a wonderful, heady scent without being overpowering.  I have to admit, even though I made the Fir Needle Balsam for the guys, we girls are pretty mad about it as well.

When you work with your hands, water, inclement weather and hard work take their toll.  If you are anything like me, deep fissures can develop if you don't take time to care for these hardworking members of your body.  I do really enjoy using a lotion that I can make in my own kitchen and am pleased by the fact that I know what every ingredient is and where it came from.   There is something comforting about that!

If you want to try your hand at making homemade body lotion, I highly recommend this recipe.  Use any essential oil that smells good to you - you can even make every member of your family their own scent.  Lotion take moments to make but the rewards are much longer lasting.

Simply Perfect Body Lotion
1/2 C coconut oil
3 T beeswax
5 drops of Essential oil (or more or less, depending on preference)

In a small saucepan, melt the coconut oil and beeswax over low heat.  I grate my beeswax with a cheese grater. It melts faster and is very easy to measure.

Remove from heat, add essential oil.  Allow to cool, stirring occasionally.  

When cool, use a stand mixer or hand mixture to mix to a creamy consistency.  Pour into containers and label.  

You can add extra beeswax if you want a more solid consistency or less for a very liquid lotion - it's up to you.

This lotion is somewhat oily going on, but quickly absorbs into the skin, leaving it impossibly soft and smooth.  It is rather addicting!

If you value knowing what you are putting on your skin, this is the lotion for you.  Enjoy!

Homemade Peppermint Body Butter

I have never really been much of a "craft" girl, however, I love to make things that I believe to be both wonderful (or beautiful) and useful.  I have made soap and candles and lip balm for years, along with lotion bars and deodorant but recently I have been itching to increase my "homestead crafts" repertoire.  One of the products I use the most but have the had the most difficult time reproducing at home is lotion.  Every recipe I have tried has been bland, not really resembling the creamy lotion that one can buy at the drug store.  Although I hate using things with a list of ingredients I can't pronounce, much less have any idea what they are, I have slogged along with store-bought lotion - until now.

After searching high and low, I finally came across a lotion recipe that piqued my interested - Peppermint Body Butter.  Although not technically location (it is too thick and rich and creamy to suffer such a poor moniker as "lotion") it glides on and softens and rejuvenates skin as well or better than any over-the-counter lotion I have used.  Oh, and did I mention that it smells wonderful?  I made mine with peppermint essential oil, though you could use any essential oil that tickles your fancy.

Gathering everything together

The body butter is so simple to make, requiring no special appliances or tools and whips up stunningly beautifully.  Because it is made with nothing but oils (some in solid form), it is very oily when applied, however, my skin drinks in the oils very quickly and is left just soft and smooth.  This body butter is meant to be used all over and we have found that we even like to spread some on our lips from time to time.  It heals dry lips almost instantly and the peppermint is so tingly and refreshing.

Ready to melt

The ingredient list is simple and I have all of the necessary butters and oils in my cupboard on a regular basis.  Most of my supplies I have purchased from Brushy Mountain Bee or our local soap supply shop.  You can substitute one oil for another if you don't have them all but make sure that the hard oil and liquid oils are substituted in equal amounts.

Whipped and ready to put into jars

If you are trying to get away from store-bought toiletries, this is just the ticket.  It is so nice that you might be tempted to make a gift of it to a special friend - go ahead - they will thank you for it!


Homemade Peppermint Body Butter
1/2 C Coconut Oil
1/2 C Cocoa Butter
1/2 C Shea Butter
1/2 C Sweet Almond Oil
1 tsp. Vitamin E Oil (Optional)
5 - 10 drops Peppermint Essential Oil (Optional)

Place coconut oil, cocoa butter and shea butter in a medium pot over low heat.  Stir until all of the oils melt completely and combine.  Remove from heat.

Thoroughly mix sweet almond oil, vitamin E oil and essential oil into the melted oil mixture.

Chill in the refrigerator for about an oil, just until thickened, not hard.

Use a stand mixer or hand mixer (I used my Kitchen Aid with whip attachment) to whip to an impossibly decadent whipped consistency.

Scoop into jars with lids and enjoy.  This will last 6 months to a year.  If your home is very warm, the oils may separate.  If they do, just whip again to the correct consistency.

A beautiful vanity jar filled with this body butter would be an incredible birthday, anniversary or even baby shower gift (for the mom, of course).  Have fun!