Winter starts to feel moody, mundane and never-ending, especially when a deep and bone chilling freeze camps out for weeks on end. I expect frozen January, but typically by Valentine's Day, our days grow longer with some sun and plenty of mud to move us a little closer to spring. In this current weather hibernation, I'm noticing all the flaws in the farmhouse that have been piling up! My inner critic wonders how I could overlook so much on a daily basis. Truth is, transforming even the worst snow and sleet driven day into an indoor oasis of beautiful depends on the one or two little things that we can do to quiet the critic and inspire the beautiful.
I tell myself that creativity sometimes requires a little (or a lot) of chaos. I'd say the farmhouse is ready to shed some chaos as I hone in on some projects that have been needed for quite some time. Essential oils are truly my essentials to transform even my most muddy floors, weather spotted windows and clutter. Adding essential oils to the cleaning bucket, diffusers and everyday sink full of dishes can transform the mundane to beautiful.
Where to start? I start in my bedroom. Why not the kitchen? Because the kitchen is one of those never ending jobs that starts with dishes and ends with dishes! It starts with boots, hats and muck and ends with boots, hats and muck. We definitely use some of our special oil blends in the kitchen diffuser, but the beautiful scent of lavender and Everyday Goodlife's "Sweet Dreams" signature scent creates beautiful and feels beautiful. So, after giving my room a refresh, I turn to the small indulgences of misting my pillows with a spritz of the diffuser oils, warm my lavender bud and flax seed pocket warmer and light the beeswax candle by my bedside for just a few minutes of reading and winding down the day.
So many of you have asked or commented about the candles - here's a tutorial for making your own.
What you will need:
Beeswax, natural from USA producers usually sold in 16 oz packages
Cotton wicks with metal tabs
containers
clothespins or straws to stabilize the wick
First, I buy my beeswax from a reputable source. Many beeswax candles are made with a mixture of soy and beeswax; I use pure beeswax. Soy candles hold scents better, but did you know soy contains varying amounts of paraffin wax which is a petroleum based product and known to release carcinogens into the air? Beeswax candles also burn with a more warm and natural light that is within the same spectrum of the sun.
Find your containers - I suggest you start small. I used a small tin, but a small glass container or vintage jelly jar would work perfectly.
Natural cotton candle wicks with tabs that are pre-waxed are easiest for beginning candle projects. They can be bought in bundles. I don't buy the stickers for holding the metal tabs, but it may make it easier to secure if you don't have a glue gun.
ONE: Prepare your containers by securing your metal tabs to the bottom of the containers you choose. I use a drop of hot glue to secure the metal tab to the bottom of the container.
TWO: Melt the beeswax in a double boiler. You can turn any pot into a double boiler by using a saucepan with another, smaller container inside the pot. I use a large Pyrex glass measuring cup, which allows a nice pour once the wax is melted. It is essential to keep an eye on your saucepan at all times as the wax could overheat.
THREE: Pour the beeswax into the container to the desired height. Use a clothespin or a slit straw to keep your wick straight and stable.
I used botanicals that were meaningful to me for decoration, but they WILL burn and could be a fire hazard if not carefully watched. If using herbs or botanicals for decoration, pour them off before lighting your candle. The material can be saved and returned to the candle after burning, if desired.
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